Love On the Blacktop
by TFaTFreak207
Summary: Single dad Deacon Cruz is struggling to raise his daughter. He makes money the only way he knows how the blacktop. What happens when he meets heartbroken Mia? Even worse, what will happen when Brian returns to claim his love? Better summ. inside.
1. Happy Birthday!

**Disclaimer: I own nothing from the TFATF movies. I am in no way making a profit from this, though I wish I were. This is merely for reading entertainment, if that.**

**Summary: Single dad Deacon Cruz is struggling to raise his five year old daughter. The only way he knows how to make enough money to support them is on the blacktop. What'll happen when he meets Mia? How will she take learning about his daughter? What will happen when Brian returns? READ & REVIEW!!!**

**A/N: This is totally a Mia/OFC fic. I don't like her and Brian together much, call me un-American. If you don't like it, don't read it. Simple. Here it is...**

_Deacon Cruz, you have been granted custody of nine month-old Emmanuelle Cruz. The mother will not be allowed visitation rights until she has completed a drug rehabilitation program and three years of probation. Case closed._

Deacon sat up quickly in his sleep, his breathing unstable. Sweating profusely, he ran his strong hands over his dark hair. He looked to his left, rubbing his thumb over his girl's cheek. Laying back down, Deacon couldn't stop the thoughts running through his mind. _Why are you still haunting me?_ Deacon whispered to himself, turning over to curl up to the girl next to him. Placing a soft kiss on her forehead, he succumbed to his slumber.

* * *

"Daddy, wake up!" Emmanuelle jumped up and down on the queen-sized bed, a rift of giggles escaping as she landed on her back.

"What'd I tell you about jumping in the bed?" Deacon muttered, opening his blue eyes. His daughters eyes were exact replicas of his, only a lighter blue.

"Sorry Daddy," she replied, lowering her head in shame. Deacon's thin lips curled into a smile as he put his index finger under her chin, lifting her face to his.

"Happy birthday Emma!" he cheered, beginning a tickle attack on her. She shrieked with laughter, trying to fight off her father's frantic hands. Once he'd stopped, her breathing was heavy and choppy. She stood on the bed, wrapping her arms around her daddy's neck and legs around his torso. He stood from the bed, piggybacking her out the room and into the kitchen.

"Where's my present?" Emma asked, crawling up on the stool in the kitchen. Deacon pulled out two bowls and two spoons for them.

"What makes you think I got you something?" Deacon smirked, pouring cereal into both bowls.

"'Cos you always get me something. Is it in my room?" she asked, her eyebrows touching her hairline. Deacon only shrugged, sitting her cereal bowl in front of her. Her eyebrow formed a thin line across her forehead as she jumped off the stool, running down the hall to her room. He watched the tiny girl as her curly, light brown locks bounced behind her.

"That kid is too smart sometimes," he mumbled, shoveling the breakfast into his mouth. Seconds later, a screeching yell could be heard from down the hallway.

"Daddy, this is awesome!" the now five year-old screamed, causing Deacon to shake his head. _Where did she pick up her vocabulary? _he thought to himself. Emma ran back into the kitchen, carrying her present in hand.

It was a new electric RC car, a '69 Chevy Camaro. The body was yellow with black racing stripes. Every year since Deacon noticed how into cars his young girl was, he bought her a remote control car. On her second birthday, he bought her a Kyosho Mini-Z Mustang GT RC car. Her last birthday, she received an electric Dukes of Hazzard General Lee RC car. That was her favorite one.

She wasn't into Barbies or anything girlie like normal five year old girls were. She loved things that went fast; whether it was a car, a bike, or truck. Maybe it was because considering Deacon couldn't afford a babysitter, he had been taking her to work with him since she was old enough to talk. _That's where she picked up her vocabulary, _he recalled.

Deacon worked at a local auto mechanic shop just a few miles from their apartment complex. He worked there since before Emma was born, making her an honorary member of their grease-monkey family. The boys around the shop loved her, allowing her to work on cars with them. She picked up more at the age of five them most men ever would.

"So you like it?" Deacon asked, watching her pull it out the box. She looked at her Dad and shook her head, showing off her deep dimples as she smiled. "Eat your breakfast. We gotta get showered and got to work," he said, placing his bowl in the sink.

* * *

"Hey Mia," Leon waved to Mia, who only threw him a wave and fake smile. The Team was at the store on lunch break, Dom manning the register.

"She's still upset over the Buster," Dom whispered, not wanting another bitching out from his baby sister.

It had been three years since that nearly fateful day. Since the day they almost lost everything. The man Mia had loved for almost a year betrayed her and her family. Sure, he got them out of trouble and cleared their records, but he still betrayed them. He left without such much as a goodbye. He didn't try to write. Even though he told her everything he ever said he felt for her was real, Mia was beginning to question just how long he had been lying to her.

After that horrific day, the Team fled. Soon after Brian gave up his keys, Dom met Leon and Letty at the border. He sent Leon back for Mia, took Letty, and fled. Vince and Jesse both survived the physical battles they fought for months. Vince was left with a nice scar around his forearm, but retrieved full use in his right arm. Jesse was scarred more mentally than physically. He hated being in enclosed areas, which was the reason he stayed away from the racing scene. The slightest things sent him into panic attacks and his A.D.D. seemed to kick in double-time.

In some way, they were all left bruised and battered from that day. Unfortunately, Mia was suffering from a broken heart and was beginning to change all in all. She was no longer that loving, motherly figure they all loved. She was bitchy and messy. She had become forgetful and she was slacking on her school work. Dominic knew it was all because of Brian, and that there wasn't anything he could do. He even went out of his way to try to hook her up with a few of his racer buddies. He knew it'd do no good, but he wanted her out of her funk.

"Have you found anything about O'Connor yet?" Dom whispered to Jesse, who sat next to Leon re-painting his fingernails black.

"Can't find the bastard anywhere Dominic. It's like he just fell off the face of the Earth," Jesse replied, sticking the polish in his back pocket.

"We're gonna find him, kick his ass, then try to get him back with her. I can't keep seeing her like this," Dom said, glancing back at his sister with sad eyes.

* * *

"How ya livin' girl?" Letty asked Mia, taking a seat next to her behind the cage in the store. Mia was studying -- more like staring -- in her nursing textbook from college.

"Why do you always ask me that? Why not, 'how are you Mia?' or 'how are things Mia?'" Mia questioned, her voice more icy than she intended.

"Woah. What the hell was that Mia? Look, I know you're upset over the Snowman, but don't take it out on me!" Letty snapped, tired of turning the other cheek at Mia's attitude.

"I'm sorry Let. I didn't mean it. I'm just a little stressed is all, How's the Jetta coming along?" Mia asked, hoping to get the attention off her.

"Everything's good with it. Just have to redo the paint job, then it'll be all done," Letty replied. "You miss the Snowman, don't you?"

"Am I that obvious?" Mia asked, slamming her textbook shut. " I can't stop thinking about him. A part of me hates his guts and wouldn't give two shits about seeing him again. The other part misses him like hell and wishes he'd just come back. I don't know what to do Let," Mia finally broke down, dropping her head on the table with a loud _thud_. Letty winced at the sound, but Mia didn't flinch at all.

"I know exactly what you need..." Letty couldn't help but feel the adrenaline coursing through her veins. Mia lifted her head to face her.

"I know that look. And no, I'm not doing that. We just got out of hot water, you can't possibly be thinking of going back," Mia asked in bewilderment.

"Oh come on Mi. Our records are clear. It's been over three years. That's what you need. And guess what... tonight's the night."

* * *

After parking his car, a black '00 Honda Civic Hatchback, he and Emma climbed out. Being greeted with the heavy smell of oil and barbecue, Deacon lifted Emma into the air, speeding up their pace to the shop. Following the scent to the back of the shop, the two were surprised by five neatly dressed men surrounding a table, which held presents and a large cake.

"Happy birthday Emma!" they all said simultaneously. Deacon smiled at Emma, who had her hands covering her mouth. The boys had gone out of their way to throw her a surprise party, and that warmed Deacon's heart.

"You boys seize to amaze me," Deacon sat Emma down, watching her run to the table.

Deacon was greeted by the first of the men, who looked to be the eldest of them all. He had a tall build to him, though the wrinkles on his face showed that he had been a hard worker for many years. He had grayish-brown hair and pale green eyes, and a thick, gray mustache covering his top lip.

"You know how much we love Emma. Thought we'd buy her a few things to show it," the old man spoke, his voice weary, but sincere.

"Thank you, Lou. You have no idea how much this means to me. Hell, how much it means to her. Really, it's appreciated," Deacon replied, pulling the older man into a hug.

Deacon looked up to Louis Montgomery since the day he had met him. When Deacon was only thirteen, his mother passed away from lung cancer. Deacon had no other relatives, for he had never met his father. Before he could be granted custody to an orphanage, Deacon ran. He ran halfway across the country, from Savanna, Georgia, with a mere two hundred dollars and a knapsack of underwear.

Finally settling in California, he needed more money and a place to sleep. Literally stumbling upon _Lou's Garage_, Deacon was ready to give up hope. He had been turned down by ten jobs that day and he honestly didn't care if he got the job. Lou noticed the boy; ragged clothes, messy hair, skinny as a runway model, and lonely. Behind his cold, blue eyes showed that he was scared. He was lonely and scared and needed a home.

That very day, Lou offered him a job as a janitor, cleaning up the shop and tools. He allowed Deacon to move in with him, for he was lonely too. His wife passed away long ago and his only son left and moved in with a friend at the age of fifteen. Deacon lived with Lou for the remainder of his teenage years, even giving him the nickname, Deke. He taught him about cars, which allowed him the promotion to mechanic.

Lou taught Deke his two most important rules to life; work hard and play harder. Now at the age of twenty-two, he lived his life by that advice.

"Oh, you know it's nothing, Deke. My granddaughter deserves whatever she wants. That's what she'll get," Lou responded, smiling over at the young girl.

"Who fired up the grill?" Deke asked, taking his jacket off and tossing it over the worn sofa.

"I did," answered a young man with dark features. He had dark brown hair that came to his shoulder and dark eyes. His face was covered in dark stubble and he had a natural tan, being of Italian descent.

"Uncle Mikey can cook?" Emma asked, temporarily dipping in the conversation.

"Yes," he said laughingly. "I'm not completely lazy."

The other men stood around the grill, conversing about something secretive.

"Dan, Ingram, and Pete, you know there are no secrets around my garage. You talk about something, you tell everyone about it. What's going on?" Lou asked, making his way over to the grill, sitting in a nearby chair.

"Hey Em, how 'bout we go try out that new Chevy Camaro you got?" the one described as Pete said, trying to get her from earshot.

"But I wanna hear the secret," Emma whined, walking away with Pete.

The boys laughed, all crowding in by the grill. Deacon was interested in what was about to be said, considering secrets were never kept around the garage.

"Deke, you down for making some cash?" Dan asked, quirking his brow at Deke.

"You know I need the cash. Is something going down tonight?" Deke asked, knowing exactly what was going on.

"Yeah, and guess what I heard? The big dogs are coming back."


	2. The Real King?

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything but the characters you do not recognize.**

**Thanks for the reviews. Sorry for the wait. No racing scene in this one...next one though!**

* * *

"That skirt is smoking hot, chica!"

"You sure it doesn't make me look easy? I mean, I'm not easy. I'm not saying I'm a prude but-"

"Mia, mami, you're rambling again. You're not a prude, you're not easy, I got it. Just find a shirt and hurry up."

Before Mia could object again, Letty hurried out the room, falling back against the door. She let out a long breath she was unaware that she was holding. She fixed her leather skirt and see-through red top as she walked down the stairs. Cat calls and whistles came from the boys, causing her to blush slightly.

She rolled her eyes as she made it to the bottom of the steps. "You guys are pigs," she spat playfully, flopping down on the sofa between Vince and Leon.

"Is she coming? We're gonna be late," Dom fussed, pacing back and forth past the television.

He was obviously nervous about returning to the races. It had been years since they had gone back. Though they had many chances to make their presence known again, they held back, waiting for their leader. Dominic, the fearless man everyone had come to either love or fear, was afraid of being shut out by the scene. Everyone had heard about the heists. They also heard how Dom bailed on his family when they needed him most, coming back only a year later. That don't cut it in the racing scene. Once you abandon family, you abandon the whole scene.

That wasn't his only worry; there was a new king in town. Nobody knows much on the man, except for his name - Cruz. Nobody knows where he came from or what team he races with. Some say he's an out-of-country racer. Others say he was just released from prison. Regardless, they _know_ he is a force to be reckoned with. For over two years, he has been dominating the street-racing world. He was untouchable, it seemed like. Untouchable my ass, Dom thought.

"Dom, you alright?" Vincent asked, waving his hand in front of Dom's face. Snapping back to reality, he noticed that everyone was standing at the door, watching him.

"Good, I'm good. Ready to take my title back," Dom said, his voice leaking with cockiness. The Team cheered as they walked down the pathway to the garage, which held their cars.

Considering the FBI confiscated their rides from Race Wars, they had to buy new ones.

Letty's 240SX was now replaced with a maroon '89 Nissan 300Z32 she found in Baja. It wasn't as good as her baby and didn't go as nearly as fast, but after putting it through Toretto's garage, it ran almost three times better than before. She allowed Mia to go crazy with the graphics, but was happy with the way it turned out. She painted the car more red than the 240SX, itching flames peeling the paint off the front and sides. Inside the flames had the words, "Live to Race, Race to Live".

He was still haunting down his Skyline, but for the time being, Leon was rolling in a very durable '96 golden Renault Clio. Though it took him a while to get used to the left-hand drive of the ride, he soon fell in love with it. Sure, the boys teased him about the size of his car, but he just laughed it off, claiming that "it's not the size of the engine, it's how well you work with it. And I must admit, I work pretty damn well with it." He painted it golden with Chinese warriors on each side.

Extremely unhappy at the loss of his Maxima, Vince settled for his dream car: a '73 Mitsubishi Galant, that he bought from a worker while in Baja. Along with Leon's Clio, they took it through a Toretto's makeover, cleaning it up and rebuilding the engine for it. After about two months working on it, it ran at top speeds of 190mph and purred like a wild cat. He painted his Galant indigo blue to remind him of his Maxima.

Although she still had Acura Integra, the boys (minus Dom) and Letty decided to purchase her a car for every day use, that way she'd keep her street ride locked up until it was needed. They settled on a '95 pink Porsche 968 CS, equipped with a booming system, GPS, the Internet, and NOS tanks underneath the back seats.

Happy that he lived through the ordeal, Jesse was even more happy that Mia got his car out of there before they could impound it. Sure, there were several bullet holes to the side of the ride, but no real damage was done to it. After the wholes were repaired, Jesse decided he was ready for a change. The lightening vinyls on his car were removed, leaving it a plain, pearl white color. He and Leon repainted the Jetta a deep asphalt color, painting angel wings on either sides. A rocker angel was painted on the hood. Her hair was jet black and she had black fingernails and snakebite piercings. Sketched under the back window was Jesse's favorite phrase, "Rock 'Til You Drop".

Last and finally, was Dom's car, a Plymouth Road Runner GTX Hammer. Dom wasn't used to driving so much muscle, but by his body build, he could definitely adapt to it. He won his car from a pal while racing in Mexico. His friend also used to run the races before Hector. The two parted ways; Dom going back to LA, his friend, Han, going to Tokyo. His new baby received a black pearlescent paint job with red racing stripes down the middle. On the back of the car just above the license plate read: "Do it fast, do it furious".

"What the hell's up with Dom?" Jesse asked Vince, who was walking over to his car.

"Got the jitterbugs. Let's roll," he said, slipping in the car.

Everyone jumped in their rides, forming their 'V' formation as always. Dom's beast led the pack, with Vince behind him, Letty and Mia following, and Jesse and Leon coming in last. Dom picked up the walkie-talkie and called over to the others.

"Alright guys, let's keep it low-profile tonight. Don't want the cops knowing we're back on the scene just yet," Dom spoke, his voice clear and firm.

"Got it Dominic. Say, you alright Dawg?" Leon called over.

"I'm fine. Just ready to take my throne back."

* * *

Deacon and Emma had been over at Lou's house since closing time at the garage. Although they had their own apartment, they spent about seventy percent of their time at Lou's house. Deke wanted to keep them company, just as he did when he was a teen. Currently, Deke and Emma were engaged in some goofy cartoon show while Lou was preparing them cupcakes, just as he did for Deke.

"Okay, baby. Daddy has to go get ready. I have to take care of some things. Grandpa Lou is gonna watch you while I'm gone," Deacon said, his arm wrapped around her shoulder.

"Why can't I go with you? It's my birthday today!" she whined, crawling into Deacon's lap.

"Because, this is a place for grown ups. I promise I'll bring you something back. That okay?" he asked. Pouting, she nodded stubbornly.

"Deke, let me talk to you for a second," Lou pulled Deke into the kitchen with him. "You sure you wanna get back out there?"

"Lou," he said laughingly, "you ask me this every week. Yes, I wanna get back out there. I'm not making enough money at the garage. This is all I know how to do. This is the only thing I have any passion for. And I'm damn good at it."

"But this is dangerous now. You know my only boy left 'cos he wanted to do this. I wasn't having it. What makes you think I'm gonna take it now?" Lou asked, his temper flaring.

"Well one, I don't live with you anymore. Two, I'm a grown man. And three, this is the only way I can support me and Emmanuelle. You see Luna's not around anymore. I have to do this. Trust me Pop, I love this shit more than I love myself," Deacon said, walking back out to his daughter. He picked her up, giving her a kiss on the cheek.

"I'm gonna go change clothes, then I'll come say bye to you, okay?" Emma nodded, wrapping her arms around her father's neck.

Deke placed her back on the couch, kissing the top of her head softly. He grabbed his duffel bag and ran to his old room to change. Slipping out of his evening wear, Deke put on his 'Knight Rider outfit', as he liked to call it. He wore a black leather jacket over a black tank and dark jeans. He slipped on his combat boots and pulled his beanie over his head. Grabbing a small bag from his large duffel bag, he sprayed on some of his best cologne, and left the room.

Jogging back down the stairs, he noticed Emma and Lou sitting Indian style on the floor. They were changing the stickers on one of her remote control cars. Shouldering the bag, he bent down to kiss Emma's cheek. Smiling at Lou, he did the same, causing Emma to giggle.

"I love you two. I'll be back later," he said, walking out the back door to get to the backyard.

Their faint 'goodbyes' were heard as he walked over to a small, wooden garage. Lifting the door, his adrenaline began pumping. Flicking on the light, he stared at the beast that was covered with a tarp. Snatching it away, he couldn't stop the pride racing through his veins.

His pride, his beauty, his ride. Deacon's '68 black Ford Mustang C/T was his everything. It was all black with chrome lining. It reeked of muscle and exhaust. He smirked at his car.

Deke stumbled across this classic beauty during high school. One of his best friends, a new kid they called 'Zona, had a friend who was anxious to get rid of the car, oblivious to the power it had. After begging for nearly two years for the car, Deke finally talked his 'dad' into buying the car for him. Only four grand was what the boy was asking for it. Lou paid, and soon enough, the car was Deke's.

It took Deke over a year to get the car up and running. After redoing everything engine-wise, replacing the brakes, doing the custom paint job, installing a new system, and replacing the exhaust tips, there was only one thing left to do; get nitrous-oxide. He begged Deke for weeks to help get the NOS, considering he was too young to buy it himself. Lou refused, saying he didn't want Deke involved in the street-racing crowd. Defying his adopted father, Deke attended street races weekly, becoming a regular fan around the way. After 'Zona moved away again, Deke fell out of the crowd, finding it pointless to be there if he couldn't participate.

At age sixteen, he started back attending the street races. He promised Lou that he wouldn't illegally race if he bought him the tanks. Fed up, Lou finally caved, purchasing Deacon two NOS tanks. He had them installed two weeks, ready to make a name on the blacktop. That very night, his plans were interrupted by a new team on the scene. And a girl.

_The team, lead by a muscular, bald man, looked like a bunch of street thugs. With only two girls with them, Deacon was frightened to death. Thankfully, his attention was mostly diverted to a beautiful young brunette with a dazzling smile and stunning brown eyes. She stood with a group of Latina's, although she was clearly Caucasian. Deacon left his car with all confidence to talk to the girl._

_"Hi there. I haven't seen you here before," he spoke, mentally kicking himself. That's all you could come up with? he asked himself._

_"Well this is my first race. My friends finally got me out of my box. My name's Luna by the way," she smiled, holding her hand out for him to shake. He took it, making a mental note of how soft and delicate it was._

_"I'm Deacon, friend's call me Deke," he lied. He didn't have any friends. He was just as lonely as the next amateur. But tonight he now had something to work for. He wanted to impress the beauty in front of him._

_"Yo Deke? You said you wanted in a race. Well, we got another new team so you race one of them," an Asian man known as Han spoke. Deacon walked over, presenting himself in front of the team. They are looked fearless and damn mean. All except two of them; a young, blond boy and a tall girl._

_"Deke? Nice name kid. Kinda sounds like dick," a guy around the age of seventeen asked. He already had a gruff-looking beard and tight build to him. His friends, along with the rest of the scene, laughed._

_"Put up or shut up, prick," Deke replied before he had time to think. The boy in front of him was twice his size and looked like he was straight from prison._

_"Vince, put up the cash and race. You can gloat after smoking his ass," a deep baritone voice came from the bald man. Deke looked at him, noticing the cockiness in his glare. Deke snatched two grand (which he "borrowed" from Lou) from his backpack, shoving it into Han's hand._

_"Lil' man's tossing up big cash, Dominic. Looks like your out of your league this time," Han said, holding the stacks up in front of Dom. Dom smirked, pulling two more cash rolls, tossing them at Hans chest. "Looks like we got ourselves a race. Let's go," Han yelled._

_All the hundreds of people ran to their cars, all scattering to get to the head of the finish line located a quarter mile away. Both racers lined up, dying to show up the other. Needless to say, Deke went home two grand richer, a smoking hot girl, and a new reputation as the man to beat._

"Boy get out of here if you wanna make it on time," Deke was pulled from his flashback. He looked over his shoulder at Lou standing there with a sleeping Emma over his shoulder. Deke nodded, tossing his bag into the car.

He slid in his grace, rubbing his hands over the smooth, leathery seats. At the moment, a thousand flashbacks ran through him mind. He shook it off and pushed the key into the ignition, taking a deep breath. He turned the key slowly, hearing the car rumble beneath him. Finally it started; purring like a wild cat in the jungle. _Good as new_, he thought to himself. Shutting the door, he pulled out of the driveway and made his way to the warehouses.

_Time to reclaim my spot._

* * *

_"I heard Toretto was back."_

_"No way?! I heard Cruz was coming back tonight too."_

_"Guess we got a Battle of the Kings tonight."_

These words were spoken all over the racing scene.

The scene: different ethnicities spread over a mile wide, different rides lined both sides of a closed road, and the mixture of cheap cologne and exhaust polluted the air; this was the life they lived.

The Team pulled up to the local congregation spot, and was amazed at the response. Nobody noticed them! There wasn't the usual silence of surprise, the crowds didn't part instantly, the women didn't flock.

"Maybe it's the cars," Vince said through his walkie-talkie, almost speechless at not being noticed.

Letty honked her horn at a few scantily clad girls walking in front of the cars.

"Move skanks!" she yelled in her car, slamming her fist down on the horn harder.

Once they were parked, everything changed. Jesse was the first to exit his car, which started the silencing tribute. He looked nervously around the crowd, hurrying his way to Leon's car. It was then that the others except Dominic climbed out of their rides. This sent the whole scene into an uproar of cheers and hollers.

"That's more like it," Vince said to Leon, bumping fists with him and Jesse.

Letty sauntered over to lead car, ignoring the hungry looks she received from other males. She leaned up against Dom's car, smirking. Finally, the door to the Road Runner opened. The crowd silenced, everyone leaning on their toes to see the final member.

As that beautiful bald head peeked out the door, the crowd went nuts. Dom couldn't stop the arrogant grin from curling at his lips as he stood from the car, looking around the crowd. Almost instantly, the girls swarmed in. For the first time, Dom turned his back on the chasers, tossing his muscular arm over Letty's shoulder. She didn't show it, but on the inside her heart melted. She only smirked, flipping her hair in mockery at them.

"I know that bald head from anywhere," a small Latino man said. "Where you been D?"

"Hector!" Dom cheered, shaking hands with him. "We been around. But now we're back. The king is back!" Dom shouted. The scene exploded, both men and women cheering at the top of their lungs.

"I'd rethink that if I were you. The real king is back. He never left," came a raspy voice from behind the Team.

"Who the hell are you?" Dom roared, glaring at the tall man behind me.


	3. Smoked Egos

**Thanks for the reviews. Sorry it's taking so long to get these up, I can't figure out where to go with it. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. R&R please.**

**A/N: The asterisks indicate that I haven't a clue what that means, I looked it up. Just go along with it.**

* * *

"Who the hell are you?" Dom roared, glaring at the tall man behind him. Deke shifted nervously under Dom's glare.

"I'm the man who's been running the scene for years. Who the hell are you?" Deke asked, leaning up against his ride. His eyes darted through the Team, stopping on Mia for a few seconds, then returned to Dom. _She's beautiful_, he thought to himself.

"I'm the king of these streets. We're legends around here. Are you Cruz? The man we've heard so much about?" Dom walked casually over to Deke, standing toe-to-toe with him.

Deke nodded, crossing his arms and legs. "That'd be me."

"I can't believe you don't recognize him Dom," came Mia's sweet voice. Both Deke and Dom turned to her. "That's Deke." Deke's heart melted.

"No shit!" Leon smirked. "V, this is the kid that smoked your ass almost eight years ago!" Leon rubbed it in, bringing a proud smile to Deacon's face.

"This is the scrawny bastard that humiliated me?" Vince growled, stepping up to the plate. Deke stood up straight, chin in the air, showing his bravery.

"He ain't so scrawny no more dawg," Leon replied, chewing on his trademark toothpick.

When Deacon went up against the Team years ago, he was a short, skinny teenage boy. His hair was short and shaggy and he wore glasses. But years later, he was different. He was now tall and lean, his build slightly larger than Vince's. His hair was now longer and curly, like an Abercrombie model. He lost his glasses, his bright blue eyes keeping focused on Vince's angry blues. Deke even had a little peach fuzz growing on his chin.

"So you want a race Kid?" Dom asked, his head tilt to the side. While keeping his eye focused on Vince and his peripheral on Mia, Deacon was smiling at Dom.

"You damn straight. Right now, lets see who the better racer is," Deke manned up, pulling the bag from his shoulders. He tossed it at Hector, he barely caught held it tight in his hands. He peeked in the bag, his eyes bugging out of his hands.

"Dawg, he ain't playing. It's time to get down to business," Hector smiled up at Dom from the bag. Mia stared at Deacon from a distance, a smug grin on her face. _My have you grown_, she thought to herself.

"Fine. 4G buy in, winner takes all. You win, you rule these streets. I win, you disappear from my town. Whaddaya say?" Dom asked, smirking cockily at him.

Deacon thought for a second, then complied, shaking Dom's hand.

"That you're car?" Dom asked, nodding to the Mustang behind Deke.

"Looks like you got it out of your grandma's antique shop," Vince joked, the whole crowd laughing behind him.

Deke ignored him and looked up at Mia as he popped the hood. She nodded, tossing a genuine, sweet smile at him. Deke nodded and smiled back, mentally slapping himself afterward. _You know what happened last time you met a chick at the races, nine months later you had a daughter_, he thought to himself.

Dom called Jesse over to give them a rundown of all under the hood of the classic beauty. While Jesse rambled off the characteristics, Deacon had a stare down with Mia. The intense, fiery glare caused tension in the air for all, especially Vince.

"Don't even think about it dawg, she's spoken for," Vince growled, shoving Deke.

"By you?" Deke asked in amusement. Vince looked away. "I didn't think so. I came to race, that's it," Mia dropped her head in sadness.

"Alright, enough chit-chat. Let's go take your money, shall we?" Dom asked sarcastically, the whole crowd heading out. Everyone jumped in their cars. the sound of engines purring simultaneously sent the town into a frenzy. Deke gave Mia one last sensual glare before jumping in his ride and pulling out.

* * *

"What the hell was that?" Letty asked Mia as they both exited their cars. They were parked a few feet from the starting line, as was the rest of the scene.

"What the hell was what?" Mia asked innocently, trying her best not to break.

"Do I look dumb to you? I saw you and Cruz checking each other out!" Letty playfully punched Mia's arm, smiling at her friend. It was good to see Mia finally coming out of her shell.

"We were not!" Mia denied. "I mean, he's cute. But I'm done with racer boys," she spoke, her heart wrenching at Brian's cover-up. He wasn't a racer boy to begin with, she thought.

"Whatever chica, you want him bad," Letty finished, excusing herself to go talk to Leon.

"Doesn't mean I'll get him," Mia whispered sadly, shaking off the thoughts.

The Roadrunner and Mustang both pulled up to the red starting line at the same time. Deke looked over at Dom's car, amazed at the potential it had. Then he thought of everything he had equipped on his ride: a V8 six-cylinder Cobra Jet engine, two-inch duel exhaust system with turbo mufflers, and a C-4 transmission with a 2000-RPM stall converter. His Mustang was one of a kind, he had this one in the bag. He reached into the backseat and lifted the cushions, turning the knobs on his NOS tanks. He turned back around and pulled down his visor, pulling out the picture of Emma and kissing it.

Deacon lifted his eyes again, only to be met with dark chocolate ones. He smiled at Mia, who was sitting on the hood of her Integra with Letty. He winked at her, watching her blush and smile. Deke looked over at Dom, who had been watching him the whole time with a smirk.

"Don't think about it Kid. Mia's way out of your league," Dom spoke, tossing his arm over the passenger seat.

Deke looked back over to her cockily. He hadn't been this arrogant in his life, but something about Dom put him on edge. Dom brought out the bad ass in him.

"Maybe she is. But I know I'm better for her than that caveman on your team," Deke nodded to Vince, who was ready to pounce after hearing his statement. Luckily for Deke, Jesse was holding him back. "Let's make this a little more interesting. I win, you let me take Mia out on a date. I lose, I stay away from her. Easy as that," eke said, internally dying to find a reason to be alone with Mia.

"Don't press your luck Kid. I'm about two seconds away from smoking you on the blacktop and kicking your ass afterwards," Dom threatened, ending the conversation by cranking up his music.

Deke just shook his head, turning from his competition. He gave Mia one last glance, giving her his brightest, most sincere smile and turned up his rock music.

After receiving the OK from Leon, Hector stood on top of an old car, facing the racers. Now was the moment of truth. Deke gripped the steering wheel of his Mustang, his knuckles white and numb. He had to get focused now. Deacon stared at Hector, waiting impatiently for the GO. As Hector raised his hands, the racers prepared for the ride of their life. Hector shook his hands, causing them to rev their engines even harder and louder. The rides shook on the line, like wild lions wanting out of their cages. And within a second, they were cut loose.

Both cars shot off the line like bats out of hell, creating a ruckus with the crowd. In an instant, Deke was in the lead. He shifted gears, his engine growling like a wild beast. Don't stop Deke, just keep going, he coached himself. Out the corner of his eye, he noticed Dom creeping up on his side in lightening speed. Panicking, he knew he had to do something quick. Swerving quickly, Deacon pulled his Mustang out in front of Dom's Road Runner, just barely missing it.

"What the fuck?!" Dom screamed, swerving into the other lane. He shifted gears, closing the gap between he and Deacon. Pulling up to Deacon's window, Dom looked over at him in bewilderment. Deacon gave him an apologetic smile and shrugged, shifting gears again. Dom watched Deacon pull off, gaining speeds of at least 120 miles per hour.

In a distance, Deacon could see the finish line coming up. His heart swelled with pride.

"I'm back," he whispered with joy.

It was then that all his pride was snatched away. In an arrogant glance over his shoulder, Deke's heart began to race. Dom was gone.

"Where the hell are you?" he turned to both of his sides; no Dominic there. His chest ached as realization hit him. He turned slowly to the road ahead of him and noticed the Road Runner speeding away. "Fuck no!" he yelled, flipping down the latch in his steering wheel. He took a deep breath and pressed a small red button, engaging his nitrous-oxide system.

The boast of power and speed made his engine cry out as it glued him to his seat. Looking down at the speedometer, he watched as the hand crept quickly to 150 miles per hour. He started to breathe roughly as he crept on the side of Dom's ride. It was only a few seconds left; Deke was running out of choices. Either he wait the few seconds for his nitrous to prepare, or he ride it out and hope to come out on top.

Both racers were now leveled with each other, trading the number one spot many times. Dom looked over at Deke and gave him a fake smile, shifted gears, and sped off. Deacon angrily slammed his hands on the steering wheel, shifting gears to catch up to Dom. He looked ahead; the finish line was merely feet away. He had to pull something out of his ass if he wanted this win. He looked down at his NOS gage; they weren't ready yet. _Either you prematurely engage and fuck your car up, or you lose_, he thought to himself. _Give me a little more time, fuck! _He battled with himself. If he would press the gas any further into the floor, he'd be running his car to the finish line. _You don't have time Deke! Press the damn button! _His mind taunted him as he continued to shift gears, catching up to Dom.

It was now or never. Deke tried to take a deep breath, unaware that he had already been holding his breath. He closed his eyes and pulled the latch down on his steering wheel. As he lifted his finger to the red button, he was paralyzed by the screams of the Road Runner as it gunned it for the finish line. Dom hit his NOS first!

Dom had won, beating Deacon only two seconds ahead. Deke slowed his car down and pulled over, dropping his head on the steering wheel. He was breathing hard and his hands were shaking. He rubbed the dash of his Thunderbolt, feeling the heat from the car pulsate through this fingertips.

"You did your best Baby," he spoke softly, trying to keep his pride down. He felt sick to his stomach with disappointment and wanted to crawl in a hole and rot.

He lifted his head and pulled Emma's picture from the sun visor, rubbing his thumbs mindlessly over her smiling face.

"I guess Daddy lost his touch baby," he said, his voice cracking. He kissed the picture, and placed it back in the sun visor. Deke breathed in deep, then started the car back up. She growled with authority as he turned her around and sped back to the starting line.

* * *

"Your man looks hurt," Letty muttered to Mia, who watched Deacon as he pulled in between the crowd.

"He does, doesn't he?" she replied, not even correcting Letty. She didn't noticed Letty smirking. _That's it Mia, get your man._

Deacon sat in his ride for a second, contemplating whether to man up. Without a second thought, he opened the car door and slowly stood from it. The crowd cheered as Dom walked over to Deacon, holding the shoulder bag in front of his face, taunting him.

"You're a great racer," Deacon spoke, holding his hand out to Dom. Dominic blinked rapidly, caught by surprise at Deacon's show of sportsmanship. He shouldered the bag and raised his head, grabbing Deacon's hand. He gave him a firm, tight grasp as a show of respect. Not many men had the integrity to first insult Dom, then shake his hand after a good race.

"You're pretty good yourself. We're having a party after-" Dom began, attempting to invite Deacon for a little fun.

"COPS! COPS! COPS! COPS!" Leon roared through the walkie-talkie, sending the scene scattering like mice.

Deacon ran to his Mustang, searching for Mia one last time.

"Follow me," she yelled from behind him, sliding in her Acura.

Deacon wasted no time jumping his car, trying to maneuver out of the scattering people cars. He was surprised at how easily Mia moved her car throughout the frantic people. Looking in his rear view, Deacon could see the red and blue lights flashing behind him. Mia must have seen them too, for she jerked a hard left into an alley. Deacon barely mixed the edge of a building as he swerved into the alleyway. They sped down the narrow road, debris flying under them. They pull out onto a busy road and weaved in and out of traffic.

"Damn she's fast," Deacon said out loud, humor in his tone.

He sped up with Mia, who made another sharp turn, this time right into a housing district. They sped past the apartments, the police sirens now in far distance. Mia made one last right turn into a narrow district named Echo Park. Deacon chanced a glance over his shoulder and let out a sigh of relief. They slowed and pulled over in front of a small, cream-colored two-story home. All the lights were on and cars were parked on both sides of the street. Loud rock music was blaring from the open windows and the smell of marijuana reeked outside the home.

Deacon took a deep breath and ruffled his hair as Mia stood from her car. She made her way to the Mustang as he opened the door. He shut it and walked to the front, leaning up against the hood. She smiled at him.

"Nobody's ever done that before," she said, crossing her arms over her chest.

"What's that?" Deacon asked, trying not to stare. _Quit it, you look like an idiot._

"Challenge my brother that way. You're a brave man," she complimented, mentally noticing his good looks. Tall, dark, and handsome. She loved his tan skin and shining blue eyes._ Oh those blue eyes_, she thought sadly. _Brian had those blue eyes_.

"Yeah, you see where that got me," he replied, his tone disappointed.

* * *

Dom was watching the ordeal with Mia and Deacon outside the window. He didn't like the idea of Mia being hurt again. And because he didn't know Deacon, he didn't trust him one bit. He watched Deke's every move and twitch, all the way chugging down a Corona.

"You all right brother?" Vince questioned, leaning up against the window pane nursing a beer.

"Yeah. Something don't seem right with that guy. He looks like he's hiding something," Dom spoke, pointing out the window with the hand that held his beer.

Vince turned around and his temper flared as he noticed Mia and Deacon flirting. "Probably another fucking pig," he muttered. He mumbled curses under his breath as he walked away, leaving Dom alone once again.

Noticing her man staring out the window, Letty decided to find out what was up. She wrapped her arms around his waist, inhaling his scent of oil and his AXE cologne.

"You look like you're having fun," she spoke sarcastically.

"You think she's ready to be with another man? I mean, it's only been a few years since-" he started, his throat tightening as he thought of that horrific day.

"She's more than ready Dom. She can't wait around forever for him to come back. Plus, she knows that if he did, you and Vince would rip a couple into him."

"That's not true. Yeah, he was the reason we got into all that shit. But he also got us out of it. But he shouldn't have ran like a coward. He should've came back," Dom's voice was solemn and angry.

"You're one to talk Dom," Letty spat angrily, storming off into the kitchen.

* * *

"So you're from Georgia huh? A Southern boy," Mia smiled, leaning up against the car with Deacon.

"Yes ma'am, and proud of it," he replied, hypnotized by Mia's smile.

"That's good. What made you come all the way to California?" Deacon paused. He didn't want to let her in that part of his life just yet. He had done that only once before, and it backfired on him. He wasn't sure if he was ready to trust another woman yet.

Before he could decide on an answer, his cell phone rang. He held up one finger to her and pulled out the device.

"Hello?" he asked, winking at Mia.

"Baby, I'm on my way now. You don't have to wait up," Mia noticed the way he lit up at the person on the other end. _I knew it was too good to be true_, she thought sadly. "Uh-huh...yeah...okay baby...goodnight...I love you too," he hung up his cell, shoving it back in his pocket. "Sorry about that, she gets a little worried when I stay out late," he shrugged.

"Right. Well I better get going, Dom's gonna need me in there," Mia said, wanting to run into her room and cry her eyes out.

"Okay. I guess I'll see you around. I might stop by the café tomorrow. Bye Mia," Deacon smiled, kissing her cheek. Mia blushed, giving a small wave.

"Bye Deke," Mia said softly, watching his car speed off.


	4. How Do I Look?

**Thanks for the support loves. You keep them reviews coming, I'll keep the chapters coming.**

* * *

As Mia pushed the door open, the stench of booze, sex, and testosterone hit her nostrils like a tsunami. Scanning the room, she found the old team being themselves; Leon partying with two blond bimbos and a beer, Vince playing the turns for a brunette, Jesse making out with a rocker chick, and Letty glued to the Playstation 2.

She felt sick to her stomach with agony._ He was such a sweet guy, _she thought. _But of course he's taken_. Once her eyes began watering, she decided she was done for the night. Walking towards the staircase, Dom gently grabbed her elbow.

"You all right?" Dom asked, his voice in a soft whisper.

"I'm fine Dom, I need to study," Mia spoke, not looking in the chocolate eyes that mirrored hers. She tried to walk away, but he pulled her back.

"I'm here if you want to talk. I know you probably think I still hate the Buster, but I forgive him. Now the others, I don't know so much," Dom said, getting a small smile from her. Dom pulled her close and kissed her forehead, the love lingering even after she pulled away.

"Be good Dominic," Mia smirked, walking up the stairs.

"Always," Dom muttered, watching her ascend the stairs.

He strutted over to torn sofa in the middle of the room and flopped down. Vince walked over and sat down next to him.

"Where's Buster Number Two?" Vince asked, wolfing down his third beer. Dom glared at him then stood from the couch. Sometimes Vince could be really annoying.

"Letty?" Dom called to his girlfriend. She looked up from the floor, where she lay playing the video game. "Let's go upstairs so I can give you a massage," it was an order rather than a statement. His tone spilled authority, but his face wore a smug smile. Letty handed the control to Vince and wrapped her arm around Don's waist.

After his hot make out session, Jesse walked over to Vince and sat next to him on the sofa.

"Massage therapy time?" Jesse asked, staring blankly at the television screen. Vince chuckled and nodded.

* * *

_"Make love to me Deke," her smooth, lust-filled voice rang in his ear._

_He kissed her lips harder, both tongues moving with such rhythm. He lay her slender body on the bed softly, crawling over her body. He sat up on his knees, pulling his shirt over his head. Tossing it onto the floor, he pulled her hands to his chest. She scraped her nails down his eight pack, tugging her hands on his jeans. He stopped her hands._

_"You sure this is what you want?" he asked her, looking lovingly in her eyes._

_She smiled and kissed his rough hand. "This is what I want," she answered, putting his hand to her cheek._

_He smiled and lowered his body onto hers, kissing her lips passionately._

"Deke! Deacon snap out of it!" Ingram shook Deacon's shoulder, trying to bring him back to reality.

Deacon blinked rapidly, unable to keep the grin from gluing to his face.

"What you smilin' 'bout boy?" Dan asked him, his Southern accent thick.

"Nothing, nothing at all. Say, you guys hungry?" Deke asked, a good idea running through his mind.

"I could do for a sandwich," Mikey spoke, torquing a bolt on an engine he was working on.

"Me too," Pete added from under a car.

"I'll go make a run," Deke offered, sitting down his ratchet. He ran out to the lobby where Lou and Emmanuelle were located, restocking the shelves. Deke walked up behind his girl and lifted her in the air, carrying her over to a chair.

"Hi Daddy," Emma smiled, crawling into Deacon's lap.

"Hey babe. Daddy's gonna run to the store to get the guys some lunch? Wanna go?" he asked, knowing the answer already.

"Can I stay with Grandpa Lou? He needs help on the 'gister," she spoke, for she always struggled with the word 'register'.

"Sure babe. I'll be back soon," he kissed her lips and watched her run back over to Lou.

Deacon jogged out the store and ran around to his Honda. He sped downtown, trying to remember the directions Mia had gave him the previous night. He finally made it to a small, shack of a store with the name _Toretto's._

He parked on the curb in front of the store, his heart pounding at the first glance of the clerk, who was reading a book. From what he could see, Mia wore jeans and a white tank top. He dark hair was tied up in a loose ponytail and she didn't look to have on any makeup. _Natural beauty_, Deke thought.

* * *

Letty elbowed Mia gently, nodding at Deke.

"Here comes your sugar daddy," Letty joked, looking up from her SPEED magazine.

Mia looked up from her nursing book and her heart began racing.

_Oh God, he's here_, Mia thought as she watched Deke step out his car. She ran frantically to a mirror and checked her hair. She dabbed on some lip gloss and walked casually to the counter. Dom watched unknowingly, smirking at his sister. _At least she's trying_, he thought.

Deke strolled to the counter, hands shoved in his pockets. Even with all the grim and grime all over him, he looked gorgeous. He sat down slowly on a stool, tossing a nod at Letty.

"How are ya Pretty Lady?" Deke greeted her, flashing a dazzling set of pearly-whites.

"Hi Deacon," Letty ignored his question, smirking as she went back to reading her mag.

"How ya doing Mia?" he said, finally making contact with her.

"What can I do for you Deke?" she asked, wiping the goofy smile from her face. _He has a woman_, she reminded herself.

"Me and the boys at the shop are hungry. Wondering if you could fix us up a few sandwiches?" he asked politely.

"Of course. What would you like?" she asked, pulling out a pad.

Deke gave Mia their orders and glanced around the cafe, amazed at how humbled it look. His eyes landed in the back of the shop, where a bald man was surrounded by a cage like a wild animal. He stood slow, but gracefully and pulled him a beer from the fridge, glaring at Deke as he opened it. He looked at Deke, then that Mia, then back to Deacon. He nodded his approval then sat back down.

Although he kept his composure on the outside, Deacon was jumping with joy in the inside. He could now make his move without Mia's overprotective brother getting in the way.

"So Mia I was wondering, would it be okay if I took you out?" Mia, Dom, and Letty all looked at Deke at the same time, all wearing the same smirk.

Mia was anxious to say yes, but she still was curious about Deke's relationship status.

"What about your girlfriend? Won't she worry about you staying out too late?" Mia taunted, getting the attention of Dom and Letty. Deke scrunched his eyebrows together in confusion.

"You mean the other night on the phone?" Mia nodded. "No, that--that wasn't my girlfriend. I'm single, I told you that," he said in all honesty.

"Well who was it? Sounded like she meant a whole lot to you," Mia finished, leaning on the counter with her elbows.

* * *

_God, I can't tell her right now. She'll never want to talk to me again. Women don't go after guys with kids_, Deacon thought to himself.

"It was my, uh,-" he jumped as his cell phone began to ring.

"Saved by the bell," Dom mumbled to himself, turning back to his beer.

Deacon hung up his phone and stuffed it back in his pocket.

"Sorry, that was the boss man. Can we finish this over dinner tomorrow night?" Deacon asked, hoping she was still up for his offer.

"How 'bout you come to the house tomorrow? We have a barbecue every Sunday and you're invited. You can even invite your 'special friend'. Whaddaya say?" Dom said, not turning around.

"Yeah, that'll be great. Mia makes a mean potato salad," Letty added, trying to pull Deke in on the offer.

"Sure, that'll be great. I'll call you for the directions tomorrow. Thanks for the food Mia," Deacon smiled, pulling the bags from the counter.

He walked to his car, tossing a smile and wave over his shoulder before getting in and pulling off.

* * *

"What took you so long?" Mikey asked, snatching the bag from Deacon's hand.

"Got caught up. Where's my daughter?" Deacon asked, looking among the boys.

"Inside with Lou," Ingram muttered between chewing. He walked inside the garage, taking a detour over to the new NOS tanks they loaded in.

"Daddy, Daddy!" Emma yelled, running to her father's legs. He turned and caught her just as she jumped at him.

"Hey baby," he said, lifting her into the air. He walked over to a nearby chair and sat down, her on his lap. "Guess what Em? Daddy has a date tomorrow," her face went blank.

"With who?" she asked, her voice now low and sad. She hated when her father had dates. They were always mean to her.

"Her name is Mia. And guess what else? You get to come," her face lit up then.

"Really? You mean it Daddy, I can come?" she asked, rummaging through the food.

"Yes, I mean it. So tomorrow, no work for either of us. You pick out your favorite dress, bring your favorite car, and we'll go. Is that okay with you?" Deke asked, knowing she already said yes.

"Yep!" she nodded frivolously, stuffing her mouth with her ham and cheese sandwich.

**The Next Day...**

"Daddy, hurry up!" Emma yelled for the third time.

It was just coming up on three pm and Deke would have to call soon for the directions. Emma was up all night talking about the date. She asked him to tell her about Mia. He replied with "she's as beautiful as an angel and delicate as a flower". Emma liked when her father talked that way.

Emma was sitting on the sofa in the living room, her favorite Dukes of Hazzard RC next to her. She wore a long, white sundress with her curly locks cascading to the middle of her back. She wore white sandals and the diamond necklace that Lou bought her for the birthday.

Just as Emma was about to scream for her dad again, he came jogging out the back room.

Breathing heavily, he stood in front of his daughter, doing a full spin.

"How do I look?" he asked, his arms out to his side.

"Handsome, Daddy," she cheesed up at him. Deacon was wearing his good jeans that fit him snuggly and a white button-down top. He had on his dressiest shoes and best-smelling cologne.

"How do I look?" she returned the question, doing her best adult spin. Deke's heart melted.

He lifted her in the air. "Like a beautiful princess," he answered, kissing her cheek.

After grabbing the keys to their apartment and Emma's toy car, they left the apartment. Deke buckled Emma into her car, then ran around to the other side.

"Daddy has to make one stop."

* * *

"I'm serious Dom. Keep Vince on his best behavior please. If he goes all psycho on Deke, I'll kick his ass myself," Mia begged, running frantically around the kitchen.

"Calm down Mia," Dom grabbed her, forcing her to stop ranting and to breathe. "You okay?" Dom asked, making sure she was calm. She nodded, letting out a deep breath.

"How do I look?" Mia asked him, looking down at her outfit. She wore a yellow sundress that stopped mid-thigh, but complemented her skin tone perfectly. Her long, brunette hair was tied in a loose tail and she wore yellow flip-flops to match.

"Like that dress is too short," Dom's protective tone came to play. Mia smiled and playfully hit his chest, grabbing the potato salad bowl from the counter.

Dom smiled and watched his sister walk out the side door. "You look beautiful bella," he whispered, unable to prevent the loving smile that was plastered on his face.

He grabbed the ribs and carried them outside, immediately feeling peace as he stepped within a familiar environment--his family. Walking over to the grill, he glanced around the backyard at the wacky characters.

Letty was setting the picnic table. Dom and Letty had been going strong for the past few years. He stopped cheating and she ended her jealous ways. They still fought like it was World War III, but they talked their problems out first, then had make-up sex. Dom was really happy they were making it.

Vince was curled up on a bench with a pencil and pad. As long as Dom had known Vince, he never knew what Vince kept in that pad. He never had the guts to ask. He knew Vince was all about privacy, and he respected that. Since his arm had gotten better, Vince spent the majority of his time with that pad. Dom could only imagine what he was always writing. _Probably some love letter to Mia_, he thought to himself.

Jesse was trying to teach Leon how to skateboard. Besides fixing cars, it had grown as one of Jesse's favorite hobbies and he couldn't get enough of it. Leon was desperate to know what was so exhilarating about a piece of wood on wheels. The first time Leon set food on a skateboard, it rolled out from under him, sending him flying on his back. Dom could only smile at the two.

His eyes stopped on his sister, who stood frozen by the picnic table. She was obviously making sure everything was in place. He could tell she wanted things to be perfect. She wanted this one to work out. The Buster wasn't good for her, and Dominic was hoping that Deke would be. Her cell phone rang, and after looking at the number, her face lit up with happiness. Yeah, this will work.

"You alright Big Guy?" Letty elbowed Dom, pulling him from his thoughts. Still clutching the grill fork in his hand, his wrapped his arms around Letty, kissing her forehead.

"Better now," he whispered in her ear.

* * *

"Okay, now there are gonna be a lot of guys here. I don't want you leaving my sight okay? I don't know these people all that well," Deke said, pulling up the address he received from Mia minutes ago.

"I won't Daddy," Emma smiled, clutching her RC bag that carried her car.

"And please behave. No yelling, no back-talk, no fighting, got it?" Emma nodded, her feet swinging impatiently.

Deke jumped out of the car, clutching the flowers he picked up on the way. He ran around to the car and unbuckled Emma from the seat. He lifted her bag from her and shouldered it, shutting the door behind her.

"Ready?" he asked, looking down at her. She smiled and nodded. He grabbed her hand and took a deep breath. "Let's go make friends."


	5. Out with the Old, In with the New

**Sorry for the hiatus. My computer has been down for some time now. I sincerely apologize for the wait. I promise that these will start appearing more frequently. Thanks for the reviews. I'm gonna try to get these up more quicker.**

**A/N: I might introduce a first-person POV in this chapter. Don't let it confuse you.**

* * *

Deacon followed a small trail to the backyard, Emma hiding nervously behind his back. Clutching the flowers in his hand behind his back, Deke's heart began to race nervously as they got closer to the backyard. He could feel the intensity pulsing through his veins. _Just be cool,_ he told himself. Once in the backyard, everything seemed to freeze.

"Hi," was all Deacon said to get everyone's attention. Leon and Jesse froze with the skateboard, Letty and Dom paused their make-out session, Vince stood to his feet (scowl on his face, of course), and Mia beamed with happiness.

"Hi Deacon," she said politely, frowning at the rest of the Team. Instantly, they all gave 'hey's and 'what's up', except Vince, who just gave a short grunt. Mia rolled her eyes at him, turned and walked over to Deacon.

"What's that behind your back?" Vince asked, moving in a little closer. Dom put his hand on Vince's chest, shaking his head at him. Vince frowned and backed out.

"Flowers. I would've brought you some but I didn't know what kind you liked," Deke said, sarcasm dripping from his voice. Vince turned beet red, but disappeared back over to his bench.

Mia tried to hide her smile with her happiness over the flowers; they were her favorite -- lilies.

"They are beautiful, thank you Deke," she kissed his cheek. "I'll go put these in water," Mia said, walking back into the house.

Deke shifted nervously under the Team's glare, his hand still gripping a quiet Emma.

"What's that behind your back?" Dom asked, stepping closer to Deke. He saw as Emma's white dress flew with the wind around Deke's legs.

Just as Deacon was about to speak, Mia came bounding out the side door. It was then that she noticed Emma's dress too.

"Who's that?" she said, unable to fight the smile creeping onto her face.

"This is where it gets good," Leon whispered to Jesse, who chuckled and nodded.

Deacon pulled Emma with a soft tug to the front, her curly locks blowing with her dress in the wind. Gasps filled the air. Deacon swallowed the lump in his throat as his heart rate sped up.

"This is Emmanuelle, my_ daughter_," Deacon said proudly, giving her hand a firm squeeze. She looked up at him with nervous blue pools and smiled.

"So this is your special friend," Mia looked at Deke, her face blank. He nodded sheepishly. Mia moved closer and kneeled down in front of Emma. "Hi Emmanuelle-"

"Call me Emma," she corrected sweetly. Mia smiled. _How could I be so stupid? _Mia thought. _His daughter, NOT his girlfriend._

"Hello Emma. I'm Mia. Your dress is really pretty," Mia spoke softly. The Team watched on in amazement. No one expected him to have a kid.

"Thank you. Your dress is pretty too," Emma smiled. Mia was really nice. She liked her already. It was the other members of the Team that she was frightened by.

Mia noticed how she glared around at the other members.

"This is my family. See the big boy with no hair?" Mia asked, pointing to Dom. Emma nodded. "That's my brother, Dominic." Dom looked at Emma and smiled the smile that made women drool. "That's his girlfriend, Letty."

"Hi Letty," Emma smiled and waved. She liked the way Letty's name sounded.

"Hey hon," Letty replied, surprising everyone. The Team hadn't a clue that Letty actually loved kids and wished to have some one day. But she knew Dom was not ready for a family of his own.

"The short boy with the hat, that's Jesse. And the other one is Leon," Mia continued. Jesse threw Emma a smile and Leon waved.

"The hairy guy over there is Vince. He's a bit of a grouch," Mia whispered with a smile.

Emma looked at all the characters, her eyes stopping on Vince. She slipped her hand from her father's grip and walked fastly over to him.

"Emma, come back," Deacon griped, letting out a sigh. _Don't start now please_, he thought.

Emma ignored him and crawled up on the bench next to Vince and sat close. She watched his face closely as he wrote in his pad, trying to ignore her. He glanced out the corner of his eye at her, most children weren't too fond of Vince. But Emma didn't seem to be afraid at all. She moved closer, which made Vince close his pad and put it next to him. Emma sat on her knees, staring at Vince.

"What is she doing?" Mia asked Deacon.

"I have no idea, she's never done this before except with Grandpa Lou," Deacon answered, trying to concentrate on his daughter. He didn't know Vince and he damn sure didn't trust him.

Emma placed her hand to Vince's cheek, his scruffy beard tickling her hand.

"Hey Kid," Vince finally spoke to her, ignoring her hand on his face. The small child intimidated the big man.

* * *

"Mia, c'mon we're hungry," Jesse whined, bouncing on his heels. He was the only one of the bunch not watching the interaction between Vince and Emma.

"Yeah, let's eat," Mia said, tugging on Deacon's shirt. He continued to watch Vince and Emma. "C'mon, don't worry. Vince may look dangerous, but he is a teddy bear. Just with the extra fur," Mia smiled, pulling Deke over to the picnic table. He sat down her RC bag next to his chair.

The Team all sat down at the table. Dom was at the head; Mia sat on his right with Deacon next to her; Letty sat on his left with Jesse next to her; Leon was left at the other end of the table. There were two extra seats.

Vince, who was now wearing a heart-warming smile, carried Emma over to the table. He sat her next to Deacon and walked around the other side of the table, sitting across from her.

"He can smile?" Deacon asked Mia in a whisper.

"I guess so," Mia laughed.

A few minutes passed, all in silence. The Team just sat at the table, all staring at the food. Deacon, who had no clue what was going on, participated in the quietness. Emma impatiently reached for the food, but was stopped as her dad smacked her hand.

"Don't," he whispered in authority. Vince glared at him, then looked back down at the food.

Of course finally, Jesse was the victim to reach in for the chicken.

"Jesse, you know the rules. Since you were the first out of everyone here to touch the food, you say grace," Dom spoke, closing his hands below his chin.

The rest of the Team, including Emma and Deke, followed suit. Dom was itching to see what Jesse would come up with for this week's grace. Little did he know, Mia had been helping Jesse before the barbecue every Sunday and he was getting better by the week.

"Dear heavenly spirit..." Leon smiled at Jesse, his eyes still shut, "we thank you for this meal that our wonderful Mia has prepared for us. Thank you for letting us make it this far. May you bless Leon with the ability to at least _stand_ on a skateboard," Leon scowled, causing the group to chuckle. "And thanks for bringing Mia Deacon. He's beautiful. Amen," the group repeated, then laughed as Deacon turned beet red.

"Don't take it the wrong way. Jesse and Leon find men beautiful all the time," Mia said to Deke, causing both boys to flip her off. One growl from Dom and both men retreated to their food.

They all dug into the food. Bowls were being passed left and right and laughs were being shared. These were the moments the Team cherished. Everyone was happy, including Vince, and nothing seemed to be going wrong. They were all getting to know their new friends and were all falling in love with Emma, especially Vince.

"So Emma, how old are you?" Mia asked her, taking a sip of her tea.

"Five years old," she replied, not looking up from her baked beans. "How old are you all?" she asked, receiving a few chuckles from the group.

"Baby, that's rude," Deke said sternly.

"It's okay Deke, I asked her," Mia smiled. "Leon and I are both 23, Letty's 22, Jesse's 21, Vince is 24 and Dom is 25." Mia rounded off.

Emma finished the rest of the food on her plate and cleaned her face. "Can I play with the car?"

"She likes cars?" Letty asked Deke, raising an eyebrow.

"Loves cars. She works at the garage with me," Deke answered, unzipping the RC bag for Emma. He pulled out her Dukes of Hazzard RC and gave her the controller. "Be careful," he whispered to her.

The boys and Letty all looked in awe.

"Hey I have a great place you can drive that. I'll show you," Vince offered, leaving his plate half-full on the table.

Deacon looked at Dom with skeptical eyes.

"He's not like that. I guess he just likes Emma," Dom said, sipping his Corona beer.

"That's a good thing. Vince doesn't like anyone," Leon added, taking a spoonful of potato salad from his plate.

Deacon turned and watched Emma and Vince playing with the car. The big man did look truly happy as he watched Emma race her car in front of the wooden garage. Nobody had seen Vince smile that much since the day he was released from the hospital.

"So where's her mother?" The question Deacon had been avoiding for almost five years had finally come up. Not even Lou knew of her. Deacon just simply stated that she was gone. Lou didn't ask any questions and neither did anyone else.

"Dom!" Mia and Letty both exclaimed at the same time.

"It's alright. It's about time I tell someone," Deacon sat his fork on his plate and cleaned his mouth. "I met Luna, her mother, that night I raced Vince. She was a sweet girl, you know. So after the race, she came back home with me. Never saw her again after that night. A few months later she shows up and says she's pregnant. I never had a father figure, and I didn't want my kid to grow up like that. So I got an apartment and moved Luna in with me. She starts getting hooked on drugs real bad. Thankfully, Emma was born without any problems. Luna started to get worse, so I took Emma and left. I get a letter in the mail a week later saying I have to be in court, Luna was fighting for full custody of Emma," he took a break, the images flooding his brain was giving him a headache. To his surprise, he felt a small, soft hand grab his under the table. He looked over at her and smiled, his heart melting.

"Anyway, I got a good lawyer and fought the case with her. I showed the judge that she was unfit, with the drugs and everything and I was granted full custody. Because of the drugs, Luna had to go to rehab and do a few years of probation before she could see Emma again. She still hasn't shown up," Deacon finished, his hand clutching Mia's underneath the table.

"What does she know?" Dom asked, watching Emma and Vince play. Vince was chasing Emma with the race car.

"She knows about her mom. I didn't keep anything from her. She's a really smart kid. She doesn't let it bother her. She asks when her mom's coming to see her. I tell her soon. I know she's not gonna show up," Deacon said, his voice solemn.

"Kid turned out fine. You're doing a great job. She's a sweetheart," Letty spoke, receiving strange glares from the team. _Did Letty just say sweetheart? _Mia thought to herself.

* * *

(Vince)

I don't know what it was about Emma, but she lit up my world. The way my mother did before she passed away. She was so bubbly and outspoken. And smart. She was damn smart.

Everything about Emmanuelle reminded me of my mother, Lynn. Her curly, dark hair, her round, blue eyes. Her personality made me realize just how much I missed my parents.

My mother passed away from lung cancer when I was seven. That was probably the hardest year of my youth. I think Pop took it the hardest. He was always a strong man and not once did I ever see him show any emotion other than happiness. He was a great man, always laughing and joking. He was an entrepreneur, creating his own car garage from scratch.

The year my mother died was also the year I met Dom and Mia. They had just lost their mother a few years earlier, so we were all able to connect and grieve together. I told Dom's dad Anthony, who was already an fast-rising superstar in the race world, about my dad's garage and they hooked up. Hit it off smoothly. They ran a business together for ten years.

In the middle of that decade, Dom and I discovered street racing. Growing up around cars all our lives, it was natural for us to feel a need for speed. We wanted to be out there; driving our high-performance imports and getting the women. Of course, both of our father's declined, wanting to keep us away from that life. But Dom and I couldn't resist.

We constantly snuck to the races, watching and betting on the best of the best. We never knew life could be so adventurous, especially while defying your only living relatives.

I was only fifteen, Dominic sixteen, when our secrets lives were exposed to our dads. They showed up to a race Friday after getting word that we had been showing up. Needless to say, we had our asses handed to us. Anthony got over it and gave Dom an ultimatum: either get a 9 to 5 job to help pay bills, or learn to race and hand over half of his winnings for bills. Dom took the latter, and became a racing sensation.

I, on the other hand, didn't get off so easily. My Pop had a real issue with me racing. He knew it was dangerous and didn't want me involved. I respected his love and him looking after me, but I hated that fact that he wanted to keep me from the one thing that made me happy; racing. I got tired of the arguments and the punishments for trying to make myself happy, being the reason I moved in with Dominic. Anthony didn't mind, he always said I was like another son to him.

I still missed my Pop 'til this day. I hadn't heard from him in so many years, I hated myself for it. There were times where I'd drive by my old house and see my Pop, either walking around the living room or mowing the lawn. _I should be mowing that lawn,_ I thought to myself. _I miss you Old Man._

"Vince!" a high-pitched voice screeched from my lap. I snapped out of my daze and looked down, finding Emma sitting on me.

"Hey Kid," I smiled down at her.

"Help me. It's stuck," was all she said before she climbed down and ran over to a hole near the driveway.

* * *

It was around eight p.m. and dinner was finally over. The boys cleaned up the backyard, then all piled in the den to watch a previously rented movie. Because Emma was getting tired, Vince took her to the living room and played his acoustic guitar to help her sleep. Just as he expected, she drifted right to sleep after the first song.

Deacon was helping Mia in the kitchen, much to her refusal. They were silent, only exchanging lustful glances every few moments. Mia couldn't help but get a sense of deja' vu.

She shook off the thoughts and finally spoke. Mia finally spoke.

"She's really beautiful," she said, looking at Deke with a smile. He continued to stare at the plate he was drying, a smile plastered on his tan face.

"She is," he replied proudly. He knew there was more Mia wanted to say, so he waited patiently.

"Why didn't you tell me about her before?" Mia asked, finally putting the scrubber down and turning to Deke. Deke followed her motions, his heart pounding. He couldn't tell if she was mad or upset.

"Honestly, not every woman likes to hear that a guy has a kid. They freak and run off. Or they want to take me without Emma. It's not happening like that," he said, his voice dominant and certain.

"Deacon, I would never try to break the bond that you and Emma have. I can tell she loves you very much. I admire you for raising her on your own. I don't care that you have a kid. I mean, yeah, it's different, but it's something I'll get used too," Mia smiled, rubbing her soft hands over Deacon's rough knuckles.

"You wanna get used to it?" Deacon asked, pulling Mia's body closer to his. She smiled wide, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Yes, I do. I've never dealt with a child before, but I'm sure it's not much harder then the goons I live with," she smirked, her lips merely inch from Deke's.

No longer hesitating for the right moment, Deke placed his hands on both sides of Mia's face, pulling her lips onto his. Deke could feel his face tingle as Mia's soft lips moved rhythmically with his. He moved his hands to her waist, guiding her body closer to his. As her tongue slid into his mouth, dancing with his, Deacon couldn't help but to pull her even closer.

Just as the mood was heating up, heavy boots were heard clanking against the tile on the floor. Deacon, too caught in the kiss, kissed Mia even harder, the passion and lust clouding the room.

"Excuse me," Vince cleared his throat. The two pulled away like school

kids caught in the act, both blushing and smiling like fools.

"Hey V," Mia said nonchalantly. She couldn't wipe the goofy smile from her lips or stop the butterflies from lifting her from her feet.

"Hey," Vince said plainly,"she's asleep on the sofa. Her car's on the table. Nice knowing ya," Vince finished, stomping his way out of the kitchen.

Deacon nodded, not knowing what to say. He turned back to Mia, who was still smiling.

"We should be going. It's getting late and Pops is gonna want me in early tomorrow."

"Yeah," Mia nodded sadly. "I had a really good time today Deke."

"Me too Mia," Deke cheesed. He leaned in, giving her a soft kiss. He pulled away quickly, knowing where it could possibly lead if he stood there any longer.

He peeked his head in the den where the rest of the Team resided.

"Bye guys. Thanks for the food," he waved.

"Anytime Deacon. You're welcome here whenever you like," Dom spoke, his voice sincere.

Deacon nodded and stepped out of the room, walking back into the kitchen.

"I'll walk you to the door," Mia smiled, walking behind Deacon out of the kitchen.

Deacon lifted his daughter from the couch, tossing her on his shoulder. He picked up the RC bag and shouldered it. Stopping at the door, he turned to Mia. He gave her one last kiss that lingered in the air.

"Bye Mia," Deacon said over his shoulder.

"Bye Deacon," Mia replied, shutting the door behind him. She leaned up against the door and sighed deeply. She could feel her feelings for Brian slowly fading away, and it felt like a weight was being lifted from her heart.

_Out with the old, in with the new,_ Mia thought.


	6. The Pig Pen

**Sorry again, shit keeps coming up. But here's the next chapter.**

**P.S. short one.**

* * *

It had been a few weeks since the barbecue, and things were finally looking up for Mia. School was going great, although she hated the fact that it was a community college. She couldn't bring herself to pack it up now and leave the Team. They needed her now more than ever.

Other than that, the Team was staying out of trouble. They went to the races every Friday just like old times, and partied harder afterwards. They were even accepting Deacon and Emma into the family, and that was the happiest part about Mia's life. The Team hardly ever accepted newcomers, especially men. Now, they were welcoming this stranger and his daughter into the family, no questions asked. Vince was attached to Emma, Deacon was attached to Jesse and Leon, and was intimately attached to Mia.

Speaking of new family, Mia was really enjoying Emma. She didn't know how to interact with children before, but now knew it was a breeze. All she had to do was cater to Emma's needs, which weren't difficult. All she ever wanted was new toy cars and chocolate ice cream. _The easiest one to please around here_, Mia thought. Emma was polite to them all and loved spending time with them.

While her bond with Emma was growing tighter, Mia's relationship with Deacon was igniting. He was nothing like Brian, and Mia loved that about him. He didn't have move-star blond hair, and he didn't have the eyes that could hold so many lies. He was pure, and Mia admired that. He didn't question about the Team's background, although Mia could tell he was curious about how the gang came to be. They were getting to know each other, yet Mia was hesitant to tell Deacon about Brian. She had no idea what his reaction would be. How do you explain to your boyfriend that your ex was a cop who was sent undercover to bust your family for hijacking trucks? _He'll surely understand that_, Mia thought sarcastically.

"Mia, girl, you alright?" Letty asked, waving her hand in front of Mia's face. She snapped out her daze, looking around. She was still at the café with Letty and she had been daydreaming all morning.

"Yeah, I'm fine. When are you going back to the garage?" Mia asked her, looking around the store. There hadn't been very many customers in today and she didn't figure anymore were coming.

"Actually, I gotta get back right now. Told Dom I was going to the house to get my phone charger, been gone for two hours," Letty laughed, jumping off the counter. Mia smiled and waved her friend goodbye, waiting for her to pull off the curb. She waited for Letty's Nissan 300Z32 to turn the corner at the end of the block before she closed her nursing textbook.

Mia shut up off the lights and pulled down the gate to the store, locking it. She ran around to her Porsche 96 and jumped in, tossing her things in the passenger seat. She sped off the lot, racing down the road at speeds beyond the limit. Within the next ten minutes, she was pulling up to the Los Angeles Police Department. She looked around the neighborhood to make sure she wasn't being watched, then entered the establishment.

A wave of fear ran through her as she looked around the building. You have a clean record Mia, she reminded herself mentally. She shook off her jitters and walked up to the clerk's desk.

"Ms. Toretto, what an unexpected surprise," the woman behind the desk spoke. She had an aged face and red-rimmed glasses with cherry red lipstick.

"Hello, Mrs. Jenkins," Mia spoke to the woman, who was an old friend of the family's. Never has she willingly seen a Toretto in the department. "Is Sergeant Tanner in? I need to speak with him," Mia said anxiously.

"Mia Toretto, nice to see you around. Come on back," said Tanner, whom was standing at the door of his office.

* * *

(Deacon)

"So Deacon, how was the barbecue?" Ingram asked from under a Camry.

"Man, it was great. We all hit it off real nice," I replied, carrying a new tire over to an old Cavalier.

"How'd they take to Emma?" Lou asked, watching his adopted granddaughter, who was listening to a cassette with her favorite children's tunes.

"They loved her. Especially the scruffy guy I told you about, Vince. They seemed to just click. It's weird, she went right to him out of everyone. They were attached the whole night," I answered, curious to why Emma and Vince clicked. I knew if I was a child and I saw him, I'd probably run away crying.

I looked at Lou and noticed the distant look he had on his face. He looked as if he saw a ghost, his skin pale and cold.

"Lou, you alright?" I asked, placing my hand on his shoulder. He jumped against my touch, his eyes glazing over. "You need me to call an ambulance?" I asked, looking concerned at him.

"No, I'm alright Deke. I'm just not feeling well," he obviously lied, running his hands down his face.

"How 'bout you take the rest of the day off? Go home and rest, we can handle it here."

"No, no, Deacon. I'm fine, just a little tired," he lied once again. I knew him well enough to tell when he was obviously upset. I also knew that when he wanted to drop the subject, it was dropped.

_What's up with you Old Man?_

* * *

At the garage, the boys were just getting ready to close up for the day. They weren't busy, but they had enough cars to keep them active. No one had bothered to go by or even call by the store to check on Mia. Vince offered to go get food for the gang, but Dom forcefully insisted that he stay. He knew she wanted her space, so he tried to keep the boys out of there for a while.

Just as the gang was all walking back to their cars, ready to end the day, Dom's cell phone rang. He sighed irritated and pulled it from its pouch.

"Hello?" he asked, his voice evidently agitated.

"Yo Dom, it's Hector," the Hispanic voice rang in Dom's ears.

"Hector, what's up?" the Team all stopped, turning to Dom. Hector never called during the middle of the week, only on Friday's and it was usually about races that night.

"Yo, I just saw your chica coming out of the Pig Pen," the voice was quick and heavily-accented.

"What are you talking about Hector? Letty's right here," Dom laughed dryly, rolling his eyes at his friend.

"I ain't talking 'bout Letty dawg; Mia. I'm over at Mickey D's and I come out and I see her walking out of the police station. You better check her ese. I know you don't like no Popo's snooping around and from the looks of it, that could be coming your way," Hector finished, his words muffled from the food he was shoving into his mouth.

"Thanks Hec," was all Dom said before he shut his phone.

"What'd he want?" Letty asked, her body halfway out her ride.

Dom ran his hands down his face. He couldn't help think the worse.

"It's Mia. Hector just seen her leaving the police department," Dom mumbled, leaning on the hood of the new company truck.

The Team all winced, for cops never played a positive role in their lives.

"What are you gonna do Dom? Why would Mia be at the station?" Vince asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I don't know. Look, just leave it to me for now. Don't say anything to her about it. Let's head out," Dom waved them all out of the lot.

* * *

(Mia)

_Dom's gonna kill me_, I thought over and over again to myself. I drove straight home from the police station. I knew the garage would be closed by now. I couldn't help but wonder where Brian was. It wasn't that I missed him or that I wanted him back, but the things the Sergeant said surprised me. He said that Brian did a job in Miami that cleared his record, then he disappeared. He ran a check and found out that the last place Brian was seen was somewhere in Mexico.

Just as thoughts of him were spiraling in my mind, I was snapped out of my daydream by the sight of Dominic's huge frame by my window.

"Get out the car," he muttered angrily. I rolled my eyes and shut off my car. I got out, making sure I slammed the door behind me.

"What is it now Dom?" I spat, leaning against my car. I hated when Dom treated me like one of his little puppies. He never used to yell at me like that before.

"Mia, is there anything you wanna tell me?" Dom asked, his tone the same.

"Nope Dom, nothing at all," I said sarcastically, shifting my weight to my other leg.

"Don't play dumb Mia!" he yelled. "What the fuck his going on?" he pinned me up against my car. With the little room I had, I swung my hand across his cheek, knocking him back a few steps.

"Don't you dare talk to me like I'm one of your fucking groupies Dom! I'm a grown woman, I don't have to answer to you. Everyone on the Team may do what you say, but Dom, I damn sure don't have too," I snapped. I hadn't been this angry with Dominic in a long time and it hurt me. I hated being that way to him. I hated hitting him, but sometimes you just have to knock some sense into that man.

He looked back up at me, his hand still on his cheek, with sad, regretful eyes.

"I'm sorry," his voice was low and hurt. Suddenly, all my anger drained from me and I pulled Dom to my chest.

"I'm sorry big brother. I'm just a little stressed out. I can't tell you what's going on just yet, but when I figure it out myself, you'll be the first to know." I said, caressing the back of his head.

_Tanner, you better be wrong about O'Connor._


	7. Locked Files

Thanks for the reviews.

* * *

_Somewhere in Mexico_

The large man launched his fist at the smaller man's face again, connecting with his eye. The smaller man winced and struggled to break free from the two goons holding his arms. He licked his lower lip, followed by spitting out a mouth full of blood. _How the hell did I get into this?_ he asked himself.

"Let's try this again. Where's my money?" the large man, who was dressed in a nicely-fitting blue suit. He had his Armani shades over his bleach blond hair, revealing his flamed blue eyes.

"I-I don't have it yet. The last few races, I've been coming up short," replied the smaller man, who's previously gorgeous face was bruised and battered.

"See, that's what I thought," said the large man. "Listen up O'Connor. I'm done with your bullshit. I just want my money. Get me my money and you're free to go."

"I'll get you your money," he said, his voice hoarse and choppy. The man snapped his fingers, both goons letting go of his arms. He instantly dropped to his knees, the pain in his legs and ribs too excruciating to stand. He knew he had a few broken ribs and possibly a broken leg, thanks to a steel baseball bat.

"I'll be back to visit in two months, O'Connor. You don't have the rest of my money by then, when they find you, it'll be like putting a jigsaw puzzle together," the man's angry face changed suddenly, a gruesome smile plastered across his lips. "Have a nice day."

Brian waited for them to leave before he crawled over his trashed house to reach the phone. He yanked it down off the end table and dialed a familiar number. One he hadn't dialed in almost a year.

"I thought I told you not to call me anymore White Boy?" Brian couldn't help but smile at his ex-friend's voice.

"Rome, I need you man. I need you," Brian groaned, coughing up blood.

"Bri, you alright man?" Rome's tone changed; he was more than concerned.

"Rome, come to my house please," was all Brian said before blacking out.

* * *

"You know Brian, this doesn't change how I feel. I still hate you. I only came cause I wanna be the one to kill your dumb ass," Rome spat, sitting next to Brian in his hospital bed. Brian had suffered a few broken ribs, his leg was broken in three places and he had internal bruising, but all in all he was fine. Brian smirked, but stopped as the cuts on his lip ached.

"C'mon Rome, you still pissed about that? That was a year ago!" Brian exclaimed, surprised at his friend's stubbornness.

"So what!" Rome yelled.

A year ago, Brian and Rome were living the good life. They had money, women, and power. They, along with Tej and Suki, ruled the southern Miami race scene. But on one of the biggest nights of the year, the Team Races, their friendship was tested and eventually ruined again. It was Rome and Brian against two burly men in suped up rides. The race was similar to their race against "Fonzi" and "Fabio", which won them the Camaro and Hemi Challenger. By the time it was time for Brian to race down the strip, the opposing racer was already crossing the finish line. Brian bitched at Rome for being a slow driver, Rome bitched at Brian for betting so much money on the race. Up for grabs? Four million dollars and pinks. Brian was racing his Fairylady 300ZX and Rome had been racing on of the very many of his babies, his Silvia S15. Brian came up with the not-so-smart idea; ripping the goons off. He encouraged Rome to give up the cars and only _half_ of the money, claiming that the men "would never know the difference". They got away with the rip off for about a month, that's when Brian met the man who had been making his life hell for months now -- Heathrow Desamis II.

What Brian didn't know, was that the goons he and Rome raced that night belonged to Heathrow Desamis' street racing team. Heathrow was a sophisticated business man from New York who was not only powerful and well respected, but dangerous. He had just been released from prison a few years earlier after being convicted of smuggling drugs across the country and running the largest cocaine trade in the South. Heathrow paid Brian and Rome a not-so-pleasant visit at Tej's garage, where both men promised to pay back what they owed. Rome did as he promised, and paid the other half of the cut to Heathrow. He was off debt and hadn't seen Heathrow since that day. It was then that Rome had had enough.

He and Brian got into not only a verbal but physical confrontation that ended in Rome walking away from the friendship. He told Brian that he was tired of risking his life to live on the edge with him. The fame and money was getting to Brian's head, and he knew it wasn't long before he had to pay for it. Rome left Brian's life and moved to northern Florida where he became the King of the Streets. Brian packed it up and moved to Mexico, hoping to get away from trouble and start a new life. Little did he knew, trouble was following him.

Heathrow had hunted Brian down, demanding to know where his money was. Brian kept claiming that he'd return the cash, with interest. Letting him off on a warning, Heathrow suggested that Brian not leave the country until he paid back what was owed.

It had been months now, and Brian still hadn't paid back the cash. Racing wasn't that profitable in Mexico and he didn't make nearly as much as he used too. Brian only knew of one way to make the money, and he'd have to leave the country for that. He contacted Sergeant Tanner back in California to ask for a little assistance. Tanner, who treated Brian like a son, claimed that he'd keep Heathrow off his back for a while, but he needed to make the money on his own. Brian knew just how to do that, it would not be easy though.

"Rome, I'm going back," Brian said out of the blue.

"I don't know if Tej wants to see you Rome. He's still pissed about Heathrow's goons trashing his place," Rome informed.

"Not to Miami. To LA. I'm going back to LA," Brian said, staring straight ahead. He knew what he had to do. He turned to Rome with pleading eyes. "Come with me Rome."

"Hell naw!" Rome yelled, standing up. "I told you I wasn't rolling with you no more Brian. Either it's a female, or it's money. Your like a trouble magnet, man," Rome exclaimed, running his hands over his head.

"C'mon Ro. I can't do this without you man. Quit fronting like you don't wanna go," Brian spoke, a smirk creeping onto his face. Rome looked away, grunting and groaning, then looked back at Brian. "Fine man, whatever."

* * *

(Deacon)

"Daddy, when are we gonna see Mia and Vince again?" that was the question of the day.

We had the day off work today, and I decided that we would stay home and in bed. Except, Emma wanted so badly to be out of the house.

"Why do you like Vince so much?" I asked, rolling on my stomach and looking at her. She shrugged, sitting up playing with her cars.

"He's nice," she said simply. I think maybe she had been around the gas fumes too long. Vince...nice? No way.

"Anything else?" I asked her, laughing at her claim.

"He looks like Grandpa Lou," she stated again. I thought hard about what she just said. Vince really _did_ look like Grandpa Lou. The deep, blue eyes, the scruffy beard, the smile. _Oh my God_, I thought to myself. "Daddy? You kay?" Emma asked, her tiny hand on my cheek. I shook my head, snapping out of my thoughts. _Impossible, they are nothing alike._

I shook my head and turned to Emma. "Yeah baby, I'm okay. Go get dressed, let's go see the Team."

Smiling wide, she jumped off the bed and ran out the room. I ran my hands down my face and sat on the edge of my bed. Something _is definitely not right there_, I thought. I stood and pulled a t-shirt from my dresser, pulling it over my head. I grabbed my keys from the dresser and walked out into the living room, where I was met by Emma. She had on some jeans and a t-shirt like me, one of her RC cars in her hand.

"How 'bout you leave that here today?" I suggested, walking to the door.

"But Daddy," she pouted, "I told Vince I would show him my other ones. Can I pwease take it?" she asked, resorting back to her five year-old persona. I was taken aback, considering she _tried_ to act like an adult all the time.

"Fine, let's go," I nodded as she bounded happily out the door. I smiled and shut it behind me.

* * *

"Mia, you're boyfriend's here again," Vince mutter from the couch. He just stared at the current Nascar race on the TV, not bothering to look at the door. He didn't answer the door, even after hearing Deacon exclaim how he could see Vince through the window.

She raced down the stairs, nearly falling on her face in the process. She ran her hands down her jeans, smoothing out the wrinkles and took a deep breath at the door.

"It ain't gonna open itself," Vince spoke, his voice plain and hoarse.

Mia turned and scowled at him before turning the knob and pulling the door open. She gave Deke and Emma her prettiest, loving smile and invited them in. Emma ran straight to Vince, who perked up at the sight of her.

"Hey Kid," he smiled, lifting her onto the sofa with him.

"Miss me?" she asked, unzipping her RC bag.

"Of course," Vince replied, kissing the top of her head.

Mia excused herself to go get drinks while Deke stood at the door. He watched the interaction between Vince and Emma. He stared at Vince while thinking about Lou. He wanted so bad to ask him if he knew Lou, but he didn't want to stir up any trouble.

"There a reason you staring at me, Georgia?" Vince asked, mentioning his nickname for Deke. He didn't look up, only stared at Emma's car as she explained the 'sweet stuff' it had.

"Can I ask you a question, _Vincent_?" Deke emphasized Vince's full name, receiving a flaming scowl from him.

"What's that Pretty Boy?" Vince tossed out what was supposed to be an insult, which only amused Deke.

"Why is that my daughter's clinging to you? Of all the other _decent_ Team members, why does she cling to the psychotic, unstable one?" Deacon asked, immediately feeling guilt. He never intended his little feud with Vince to come to this. He was not naturally a cruel guy.

"Hey, fuck you Pretty Boy!" Vince growled, standing from the sofa. Deacon stood too, ready for anything Vince was about to give him. Emma clinched her hands to her ears as Mia walked in empty-handed.

"What's going on in here?" she asked.

Vince gave Deacon one last evil glare before sitting back down with Emma. He pulled her hands from her ears and kissed her forehead.

"I'm sorry sweetie. Didn't mean to scare ya. Your Daddy's just itching for a beating right now," he smirked at her, then at Deke.

"Yeah, Mia, everything's all right," he lied, tossing Vince a fake smile. "Where's everyone else?" he asked, curious to know why the house was so quiet.

"Everyone went to pick up parts for the garage. Dom insisted that Vince stay and babysit. Although I dunno why, all he does is eat and stare at the TV," Mia spoke, as if Vince wasn't even in the room.

"Um, excuse me, sitting right here," he spoke, pointing to himself.

"Whatever, V," Mia said, rolling her eyes. "Say, I was thinking. How 'bout we go grab some lunch?" Mia suggested, wrapping her arms around Deke's waist.

"What about Emma? I ain't leaving her with the Beast," Deke said, making sure his words were loud enough for Vince to hear.

"Oh, Deke she'll be fine. Vince will take care of her. Won't you Vince?" Mia spat through clenched teeth. When Emma turned to them, Mia put on a fake smile, her eyes pleading with Vince.

"Yeah, of course. No need to worry, Deacon, I can handle it," Vince replied.

"Is that okay Em? You wouldn't mind staying here with him while I go get lunch with Mia would you?" Deke asked her, wrapping his arm around Mia's shoulder.

"Uh-uh. I wanna stay Daddy," Emma replied, her biggest begging smile flashing.

Deacon didn't speak, he only nodded. He pulled her into the den with him and kneeled down to her level.

"You be careful, okay? I don't trust Vince. Tell me if he hurts you in any way," Deacon spoke softly, running his hands through Emma's curly hair.

"Kay Daddy. Have fun," she said, wrapping her arms around his neck. He hugged her tight, his love for her evident in his expression.

"You too Puddin'," he walked out of the den with her, both wearing smiles on their faces.

"Ready to go?" Mia asked. Deacon nodded and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. He looked back at Emma and told her he loved her. She return the affectionate term and waved goodbye. Vince waited for the door to close, then he turned to Emma.

"Let's have some fun!" he cheered, lifting her in the air and grabbing her RC bag. He ran out the back door, a rift of giggles filling the air.

* * *

(Dom)

I sent the Leon, Jesse, and Letty to Harry's to get the rest of the parts while I made a detour to the other side of town. Stopping in front of the last place I wanted to be, I took a deep breath. Shutting off the car, I got out slowly. I took long, quick steps, wanting to get this over with as soon as possible. Pushing the door open, I was taken aback by the frenzy inside the building. People were running every which way, phones were ringing off the hook, and crooks were thrashing around frantically in handcuffs.

"I hate this place," I muttered to myself as I walked to the front desk.

"Dom Toretto? What is the world coming too? Mia was just in here the other day," the front desk clerk, Mrs. Jenkins, said with surprise.

"How you doing Clarise? How's the boys?" I asked politely, signing my name on the entrance sheet. It was to make sure the wrong people weren't there for the wrong reasons.

"They are good. You know little Pete, he can't ever stay out of trouble. And Douglas? That boy is gonna be a genius one day," she smiled, stamping the sign-in sheet next to my name.

"That's good to here. Say, you wouldn't happen to know why Mia was here the other day would you?" I asked, hoping to get some info out of her.

"Yeah, she said she was looking for Sgt. Tanner. Wanna see him?" I nodded, sticking my hands in my pockets. I never did like Gene Tanner. He had been a pain in my ass for years. "Sgt. Tanner, you have a visitor."

I waved goodbye and walked over to the waiting chairs, sitting a few down from a weird-looking guy in handcuffs. His hair was scruffy and it was no doubt that he was high on something.

"Who is it?" a voice said, coming out into the lobby. Clarise pointed over to me with a smile. Tanner turned, his face forming a smirk at seeing me. I felt like a teenager again going to see the principal.

"What a pleasant surprise. Come on back," Tanner nodded, walking ahead of me to his office. "Take a seat," he ordered. I obeyed, sitting down in front of his desk. "What can I do for you?"

"I wanna know why Mia was here. What'd she want?" I asked him, not beating around the bush.

"That's confidential, Mr. Toretto. Without her consent, I don't have to tell you a thing," he replied, his usual attitude clear in his words.

"Well see, I'm afraid she's in trouble. I need to know what's going on before shit starts blowing up. Tell me what's going on Tanner," I demanded, trying to keep my temper in check. One false move and I'd be in handcuffs like the addict in the lobby.

Tanner fixed his glasses on his face and sat on his desk.

"Toretto, Mia wanted me to lock your files. Everything there is to know about your little 'family', she wanted me to lock up and toss away the key," Tanner replied, sipping his coffee. I looked at him with confusion.

"But why would she lock our files? We have nothing to hide," I told him, now sitting on the edge of my chair.

"Well see, she's afraid of someone new to your family finding out about your pasts," there was something Tanner was holding back.

"What else?" I asked him, knowing there was more.

"She's thinks Brian's disappearance has something to do with your new friend showing up. She thinks Brian's still a cop and that this Deacon is working for him. Mia thinks Brian's still after your family," Tanner explained.

My head was pounding with all this information. Why would Mia think we were in trouble still? It had been years, the cops had nothing on us. No proof of the heists, all they had was petty racing tickets. Why would she lock our files? I understand why she thought Brian was still a cop, he had been gone for years with no word from him. But Deacon did show up as soon as Brian disappeared. Could he be a cop too?

"Is Brian still a cop?" I asked him.

"As of now, no. He worked a few odd-jobs for us after he quit the force, but he doesn't work for a department. He's in Mexico," Tanner finished, a fake smile on his face. "Now if that's all, I have some paperwork to get to. You know where the door is," he said rudely, returning to his seat. I stood and thanked him for the information and left.

"They always said we Toretto's were nothing but trouble," I mumbled as I got in my car and pulled off.


	8. Insults and Injuries

**Thanks for the reviews. I noticed that maybe not a lot of people are reading anymore. If that's the case, I'm thinking about quiting this story. Tell me if you don't want me to end it. Otherwise, this is probably the last chapter I'll put up.**

* * *

"Okay O'Connor, you're free to go. Keep yourself wrapped up and don't do much moving. Get some rest for a few weeks," the doctor told Brian as Rome tied Brian's tennis shoe.

"So that means no driving?" Brian asked fearfully. That was the only thing he knew how to do; drive. Without that, he would be bored and very cranky. Plus, he still had business to take care of and that would include driving. Very fast.

"I'm afraid so. If he agrees to it, your buddy here can be your chauffeur for a few weeks," the doc smiled at Rome, who looked at Brian with an eyebrow cocked.

"Nuh-uh. No thank you. Find someone else for that," Rome disagreed, stuffing all Brian's things in a backpack and tossing it at his chest.

"We'll figure it out Doc. Thanks again," Brian spoke as Rome helped him off the bed. He stood, his balance uneven due to the full brace he wore on his leg. He pulled his jacket on, the pain from his ribs shooting throughout his body.

Rome helped Brian to his car, a revised Rx-8, got in and sped off. They reached Brian's shack, which was about ten miles away. Once inside, Brian winced at his house, which was still a mess. He had been in the hospital for a few days, so he hadn't gotten the chance to clean his home.

"Damn Bri, those guys fucked your crib up. Man look, they broke the family picture," Rome tossed Brian the picture of the Team, not caring too much about the people. He knew the history of them and didn't care for them. Especially the way they treated Brian. Even though Rome hated him, Brian was always his big brother.

Brian stared at the picture lovingly. They were standing outside the garage, all looking happy. Vince had Jesse and Leon in a headlock, Dom had his arms around Letty's waist, and Mia and Brian were hugging each other. Mia was laughing hysterically at something said before the picture was taken by Hector. Brian ran his finger over the picture slowly as his breath hitched in his throat._ I miss you guys_, he thought to himself. He folded the picture and stuffed it in his back pocket. He watched as Rome ventured through the house. He needed somewhere to sit badly, but all his furniture was sliced and broken into pieces.

"Fuck!" he yelled loudly, elbowing a nearby wall angrily. This caught Rome's attention. He suddenly for bad for the guy. Brian had been going through a lot and just needed a break.

"Hey, you all right man?" Rome asked sincerely.

"Um, not really Ro. My fucking life's falling apart. And if I don't get Desamis his money, then I'm finished," he spoke, walking back outside his house. He carefully sat on the porch, staring off into the blue sky.

Brian lived in the middle of no where, which he liked. He had no one around to bother him, no one to get in trouble with, no one to fall in love with. He was happy that way. But at the same time, it was the reason Brian was so lost. He was lonely. He needed a family. Sure, Rome and Tej had been brothers to him all his life, but he needed more. He found that with the Team but he knew he could never have it back. _They would never trust you, O'Connor_, his conscience told him. He betrayed them. He betrayed Dom, who trusted Brian with his life. Most of all, he betrayed Mia, whom he had truly fallen for the short time he was with them. _She's probably moved on_, he thought to himself. _It's for the better._

Rome could sense Brian's melancholy mood as he watched his friend from the threshold. He walked over and sat down next to him.

"Why do I get the feeling this isn't about the money?" Rome said, not looking at Brian. Instead, he stared off into the desert, watching in a great distance as cars drove by.

"I miss 'em Rome, what can I say. I miss Dom's barbecue chicken, and I miss Letty always wanting to wrestle, and I miss kicking Leon's ass in PS2. I miss Jesse's face when he saw an engine. Hell, I even miss Vince kicking my ass. I don't even know if those two are okay," Brian couldn't stop the tears that ran down his bruised cheeks.

"You miss the sister too don't you?" Rome asked, now looking at Brian. He nodded, the tears falling faster. "Look, I'm not gonna lie. You did fuck them over big time. But it was your job, you had to do something. They were criminals, Bri!"

"Shut up Roman! They were not criminals. So what, they made a few mistakes. Everyone makes 'em! I made one when I decided to take that case," Brian defended his old friends, his emotions obviously unstable. "I gotta go back Ro. I need to see if they're all right. To see if Jesse and Vince are okay. I have too."

Rome nodded, understanding what Brian had to do. He needed to find closure.

"And Rome, I wanna go tomorrow night."

"Brian, you can't leave the country. You heard Desamis. You leave, you die. Plain and simple. I'm not gone let you take yourself out like that man," Rome raised his voice, trying to talk some sense into Brian. He knew Brian's idea was suicide and he didn't want his best friend to go through that.

"No Roman, you don't understand," he struggled to get to his feet. "They could help me. I'll go and ask them to help me raise that money. We can race for it. C'mon Ro, you know Toretto can't turn away from a race," Brian explained, hoping that he wasn't wrong.

"Brian, I think you're just a little bit out of it. Maybe them punks hit you over your head too hard. What makes you think they're gonna wanna do anything for you?"

"Rome, whose side are you on?" Brian asked, annoyed with Roman's negative attitude.

"Sorry," he muttered, falling back.

"We're going tomorrow night Rome. Get your shit together and meet me back here at ten tonight," Brian replied, taking his time walking up the steps.

* * *

(Mia)

I had Deacon take us to one of his favorite places for lunch; a small restaurant a few blocks away called _Penny's_. We ordered food and sat outside with our food. Upon waiting, I could tell he was worried about Emma.

"Vince might act the part, but he really is just a gentle giant. He wouldn't dare harm Emma. He likes her," I tried to explain to Deacon.

"But why is she so close to him? I mean, she's taken a liking to you and Letty, but she's all the time asking about Vince. What is it? Why him?" Deacon blurted out questions that I had no answers too.

"I don't know Deke. Vince really likes kids. He'll never come out and say it, but he wants plenty of them. He knows that Letty and Dom won't be having kids for a while and I'm not going anytime soon, so Emma's the closest thing to a kid he has. He still hasn't met his special girl yet."

"He loves you, doesn't he?" Deacon's question startled me; I wasn't expecting him to be so blunt.

"I'm afraid so. Ever since we were little, Vince has been following me around like a lost puppy," I hated to sound so conceited about it, but it was the truth. Vince was crazy about me.

"You ever have feelings for him?" Deacon asked, watching as the waitress sat out plates down on the table. My stomach growled at the sight of my burger and fries.

I picked up a fry, tossing it in my mouth. "Yeah, at one point, I had a small crush on him. But I was going through the teenage phase. He was older and a bad boy, I was young and dumb. Then I realized just how much of a brother he was to me and I got over him quickly. Except, he-"

"Didn't get over you," Deacon finished for me. I nodded and smiled. "Can't blame him. You're a beautiful, young woman Mia. I'd follow you around like a lost puppy too," he replied, smiling that gorgeous smile I was falling for. _Oh that was lame, but good try_, I thought to myself.

"So what's the deal with you guys, how'd the Team come together? I mean all those years back, how did that happen?" I couldn't help that sense of deja vu that was taking over my mind.

"That's a really long story Deacon," I tried to get out of it.

He looked at his watch. "I don't have anywhere to be."

_Oh boy, here we go again._

* * *

Dom went straight home after he left the police station. On his way to The Racer's Edge, he noticed that the Team was already long gone. He drove by the garage, finding that they weren't there either. As he pulled up on the curb of his home, his heart nearly melted at the sight of his family.

Water was sprayed all over the driveway and sidewalk and water guns were lied out on the lawn. Jesse and Letty were wrestling in their swimsuits and Vince was letting Emma spray him with the water hose. Dom couldn't help but notice how happy they were, how normal they were again. He didn't even want to get out the car, but only to sit and watch his family. He watched how Vince got along so well with Emma. _The big lug wants kids_, Dom thought to himself. _I never knew he even liked kids._

"Yo Dom!" Dom's attention was diverted to Letty and Jesse. He rolled down the window. "Uh, you gonna spend the rest of the day in the car or what?" Letty asked, her hand on her hip and her eyebrow raised.

Dom smirked and opened the car door, stepping out. Jesse grabbed a couple beers from the cooler, tossing Dom and Letty one and keeping one for himself. Dom took a seat on the porch, Letty sitting her wet body on his lap.

"Where were you?" Letty asked, wrapping her arm around Dom's neck. She ran her fingers over the back of his fuzzy head.

"Just went to talk to Hector about somethings," he lied. Letty looked straight through him.

"No, seriously, where'd you go?" she asked again, taking a swig of her beer.

"The police station. Went to see why Mia had gone there the other day," he finally said. Letty could tell by the look on his face that it wasn't for good reason.

"Well," she started, waiting for him to finish. "What's up?"

"Long story, I'll tell you later," Dom replied, chugging down the rest of his beer. "Vince!" Dom yelled for Vince, declaring the conversation over. Letty rolled her eyes as she stood and walked back over to Jesse.

Vince, who was carrying Emma on his shoulders, walked over to his best friend, a carefree smile on his face. Dom couldn't help but grin at how happy Vince looked.

"Sup Dom?" Vince asked, lifting Emma off his neck. He crossed his big arms across his chest, his face now serious.

"Yeah, sup Dom?" she repeated, mimicking Vince's facial expression and movements. Dom laughed and scooped her up, a rift of giggles escaping her lips. Dom tickled her for a second, then sat her on his lap.

"Why don't you go have Letty dry you off and get you a change of clothes? I think Aunt Lucy left a change of Betsy's clothes here the other day. She's about the same size as you," Dom sat Emma down and watched her run over to Letty.

Vince waited for her to reach Letty before he took a seat next to Dom on the porch.

"What's up Brotha?"

"I want you and the boys to run a check on Deacon. Mia went to the station and locked our files."

"But why?" Vince asked, sitting up. He wanted to be sure he was hearing him right.

"She thinks Brian disappearing has something to do with Deacon showing up. It's weird, 'cause it makes sense. I just don't understand, why would Brian still be after us?" Dom asked, obviously bothered by the thought of being in trouble again.

"I don't know, but I don't think Deacon's a cop. For once, I trust this guy," Vince defended Deacon, which caught Dom by surprise. _Did Vince just defend someone? One of Mia's boyfriend at that? What is wrong with the Coyote?_

"Maybe I should take your word on this. I mean, you were right about Brian," Dom mentioned, smirking a bit. Vince always did have that animal instinct for negative people.

"That I was," he replied arrogantly. "But I dunno D, I don't get that feeling about Deke. I dunno if he's legit, but I don't think he's po-po," Vince replied, running his fingers through his wet hair.

Just as Dom was about to respond, Deacon's black Hatchback pulled up to the curb of the house.

"I'll go get Emma," Vince offered, standing from the porch.

* * *

"So Leon and Jess are brothers huh?" Deacon asked Mia, looking out the window at the two. They were slap-boxing. "They are so different," Deacon noticed the physical differences between the two men.

Leon was of an average size build, had a natural tan, and deep green eyes that made women swoon. He had a thick New York accent and dressed simple; a jersey and jeans. Jesse on the other hand was different. He was of less than average build, with pale skin and sky blue eyes. His accent wasn't nearly as thick at Leon's and he had a different fashion sense: blue-jean vests, beanies, and black fingernail polish.

"Step-brothers. Leon's mom married Jesse's dad before he went to prison," Mia informed, mentally slapping herself for giving him more background on her family. "Let's go inside," Mia said, opening the door to the car and stepping out.

Deacon followed suit and walked around to the front of the house. Both Mia and Deacon stopped short, noticing all the water guns and hoses that lay sprawled across the lawn. Mia looked over at Jesse and Leon, who stopped and smiled at the couple.

"What happened here?" Mia asked, unable to keep the loving smile from her face.

"Water fight," Jesse said simply, trying to get the water out of his ears.

Mia stopped to talk to Leon and Jesse while Deacon continued to the house, looking for his daughter. He noticed Dom sitting on the porch, his face a look of content, but also worry.

"You okay Dominic?" Deacon asked, stopping in front of the porch steps.

"You a cop, Cruz?" Dominic asked bluntly.

Deacon blinked rapidly, taken aback by the forward question. He felt insulted in a way. "What do mean am I a cop?" he retaliated.

"Just what I asked, are you a cop?" Dom asked again, standing from the porch. He stood toe-to-toe with Deacon and glared intensely at him.

"No, I'm not a cop. Why would you think that? I fucking street race! Cops don't street race!" Deacon defended himself, trying to keep his cool.

"Yeah, well I beg to differ," Letty mumbled as she walked out the house passed the two.

"What is she talking about?"

"We had an incident a few years back when an undercover cop posing as a racer got too nosy. Shit hit the fan. So I'm asking you one last time, are you a cop?"

"No, I'm not a fucking cop Dom. I don't have to take this shit," Deacon pushed past Dom and walked into the house.

"Emma! Where are you hun?" he yelled, looking throughout the house for her.

"In here Daddy!" she yelled. He followed her voice to the kitchen. When he found her, she was seated on top of the counter, with a popsicle in her hand that was dripping all over her.

"What are you doing in here all by yourself?" Deacon asked, kissing her cheek.

"She wasn't alone," Vince spoke as he walked into the kitchen. He had a wet washcloth in hand and a small shirt. "I went to get something to clean her up with. But I guess you can do it since you're here now," Vince said sadly. He handed the items to Deacon, walked to the fridge and pulled out a beer.

As he was about to push open the door to the kitchen, Deacon spoke.

"Hey V?" Vince turned around. "Thanks. For looking after her. She really likes you," Deacon said sincerely.

"No problem, I like her too," Vince smiled at her. He pushed the door open and left the kitchen.

_Maybe I pegged him all wrong,_ Deke thought.


	9. Truth Comes Out

After cleaning up his messy daughter, Deacon grabbed her things and walked out onto the porch. Upon appearing, he felt the atmosphere growing thick and eventful. He noticed Mia standing toe-to-toe with her brother, both raging tempers going head-to-head. Letty, Leon, and Jesse were all sitting in lawn chairs nursing Corona's and watching the show. Vince sat on the porch behind the siblings, ignoring the fight and writing in his pad.

Deacon looked on, watching the fuming adults.

"Dom, you have no right questioning him like that! He isn't one of the Team, you can't just force shit out of his like you can with them!" Mia pointed to the three stooges in the yard.

"Watch it girl," Letty warned, raising her bottle to her mouth.

"And you have the right to do what you did?!" Dom spoke. Mia looked at him with confusion. "Oh don't play dumb Mi, I know why you went to the police station the other day." Mia looked away nervously, not wanting to make eye contact with Deke.

"Don't do that Dom," Mia begged, her voice low and demanding.

"Do what? What are you hiding Mi?" Deke asked, now adding himself to the altercation.

"Mia went down to the police station the other day to hide our files. Seems as though she found your appearance at the races that night to be a little suspicious."

"Dom, stop!" Mia yelled, her anger reappearing.

"Mia thinks Cruz is working undercover for O'Connor, doing the same job he did. Pretendin' to fall for the girl, then take down the Team. She was afraid Deke would go snooping around, putting his nose where it didn't belong. Now ain't that something," Dom said sarcastically, sitting back on the porch.

Deacon frowned, sitting Emma down on the porch. She instantly ran to Vince, who picked her up quickly. Deacon walked down the stairs slowly, his eyes fixed on Mia. Mia kept her face to the ground, a feeling of shame taking over her body. Deacon stopped in front of Mia, shoving his hands in his pockets.

"What's Dom talking about Mia?" he asked simply, wanting to give himself time to cool.

"Nothing Deke," she lied.

"Don't lie to me Mia!" Deacon's voice raised against his will. He took a step back and ran his hands down his face. "Don't lie Mia. What's going on? Who's O'Connor? And why would you think I was working for him?" Deacon questioned.

Mia looked to Dom, then to the other Team members. She knew she shouldn't tell about the heists, but he deserved to know some of the truth.

"You know how I told you about an undercover cop snooping around?" Dom spoke from behind Deke. "Well, that would be O'Connor."

"Deacon, I'm sorry okay? I was just trying to protect my family!" Mia defended, finally raising her eyes to his.

"From what?! What do I have against them?!" Deacon yelled, pointing to the three in the yard. "Wait a second," he started, "were you pretending to like me this whole time? Just gassing me until I slipped up? How long have you been playing me Mia?"

"I'm not playing you Deke! I mean, I was skeptical about you for a while, but I really like you Deacon!" Mia exclaimed, tears filling her brown eyes.

"Save it, Mi. I'm done," Deacon spoke low. "Emma, lets go!" he yelled, not taking his eyes off Mia's. Emma hugged Vince one last time before jumping down onto the porch. She kissed the top of Dom's head then ran straight over to Letty.

"Bye hun," Letty kissed her cheek then sat her down. Emma waved bye to Jesse and Leon, then ran over to her father's side.

"Go get in the car," he ordered, mentally slapping himself for taking his anger out on his daughter. He wasn't upset with her, he wasn't even upset with Mia, he was upset that he left himself get that close to a woman and have it blow up in his face.

"Deke, please," Mia begged him, her hands on his chest. He pushed them away.

"No, Mia. I'm done. When you're ready to start over, give me a call," Deacon said softly, continuing to his car. Mia turned just as Deacon started his car, pulling off the curb.

She turned back around to face the Team.

"What, you don't trust us either?" Jesse questioned innocently, standing from his lawn chair.

"Yeah, girl, what's up with that?" Leon added, also standing.

Letty didn't speak. She stood from her lawn chair, gave Mia a disappointing glare and walked inside.

Vince stood on the porch, glancing at them all. He walked slowly towards the stairs. He slapped Dom in the back of his head.

"You're an ass," he mumbled to him. On his way to the driveway, he stopped and looked at Mia. "And here we thought you were the good one," he muttered, jumping in his Galant and speeding off down the block.

* * *

(Deacon)

_I can't believe how stupid I am! I feel for those big beautiful chocolate eyes and that gorgeous smile. Pft, shows me right. And what the hell are they hiding? I gotta find out._

"Daddy, you kay?" Emma asked me softly from the passenger seat.

"Yeah, baby, Daddy's fine."

"What happened?" she asked innocently.

"We'll talk about it when we get home," I replied, smiling to myself. She hated being left out of things.

We finally pulled up to our apartment around eight p.m. after a stop to pick up a movie and some ice cream. I pulled into my parking spot and killed the engine. I looked over at Emma, my heart melting within me. She was sleeping soundly, her head resting on the door. I got out and ran around to her side, opening the door carefully. I caught her just before her head fell and unbuckled her seat belt. I lifted her into my arms, snatching the bags from the backseat. I carried her up the apartment stairs slowly, the stress from the day catching up to me. As I reached our door, I sat the bags down to my feet to search for the keys I were forever losing. The door next to mine opening, revealing my next door neighbor, Katie.

"Hey Deke," she smiled politely, waving. Her face was flushed and her hair was a mess.

"Hey Katie," I replied, smiling back.

"Who's the lucky lady tonight?" I asked her, receiving a playful glare from her.

Katie Palmer, she was a sweet girl. Moved next door to me two years ago from Ohio. She was only two years older than me and she was a fox, but there was only one thing with Katie; she was a lesbian. I found that out a week after she moved into the apartment.

_**FLASHBACK**_

_I was sitting on the porch, Emmanuelle in my lap, enjoying the spring weather. It was a cool 89 degrees, which was perfect weather for us. There had been a moving truck that was transporting furniture for about an hour to the apartment next door to mine. When I finally noticed the girl, I was blown away. She had long, tan legs and movie-star blond hair. She had gorgeous blue eyes and dressed like she was model. That's because she was. Well, a 'model in the making' was what she called it._

_"Newbie?" I asked as she carried the last of her things into her apartment._

_"Is it that obvious?" she sneered, dropping her last box inside the threshold. She sat on the porch, wiping sweat from her forehead on her long-sleeved shirt._

_"Little bit. Where ya from?" I asked, trying to get to know her._

_"Columbus, Ohio," she stated simply, obviously in a sour mood._

_"Ohio huh? That's pretty far away," I gave her a sincere smile, in a way to say I was a good guy._

_"Yeah, you can say that," she smiled back, finally dropping her guard. "Names Katie Palmer, and you?"_

_"I'm Deacon Cruz. This is my daughter, Emmanuelle," I introduced the two._

_"Hi Emmanuelle," Katie shook her tiny hand after shaking mine. "Wow this is some heat," she spoke, wiping the sweat that returned to her forehead off again._

_"Babe, this is nothing. Wait until summer, it'll be ten times worse than this," Katie looked horrified at the thought of hotter temperatures. "And plus, I think you're the first person I've seen wear a long-sleeved shirt in Los Angeles," I joked._

_"Yeah, I feel a little overdressed," she smirked, looking down at her attire. She wore a blue long-sleeved baseball t-shirt and loose jeans._

_"How about you go get changed and I'll make us some lemonade?" I offered, standing from my chair. She smiled and nodded, standing from the concrete level._

_Emma and I returned a few minutes later, Katie already on the porch. She was now dressed in short shorts and a white tank top._

_"Feel better?" I asked, smiling. She sighed, thankful for her change._

_I sat Emmanuelle down and watched her play with her toy cars. I handed Katie a glass of lemonade and we made small talk._

_**Two weeks later**_

_Everyday that week, Katie, Emma, and I met on the porch for lemonade and conversation. I was beginning to like her. And I could tell she liked me too, I mean, I was a pretty charming guy. She had been denying her crush on me for a while now. She kept saying that I wasn't her type. I asked her what exactly her type was, and she only replied 'you'll find out soon enough"._

_On a Friday night, Emma and I had just returned home from work. I went to lay her down to bed and walked back onto the porch to a smoke a cigarette. Halfway through my cigarette, I heard loud groaning sounds coming from Katie's place next door. I walked to the door, placing my ear up against it. The moans and groans were louder, followed by screams. I knocked on the door, hoping she'd be able to hear it. The screams stopped and there was fumbling behind the door. I took one last hit off my cigarette, then flicked it over the banister. I blew out the smoke as the door opened, a flushed Katie appearing at the door. She had a sheet wrapped around her body and her hair was a frizzy mess._

_"Deke, what's up?" she asked in a rushed tone._

_"Everything okay in there?" I asked, taking a peek over her inside. "I heard screaming so I came to make sure everything was alright."_

_Katie blushed, pushing some hair behind her head. "Yeah, Deke, everything's fine. Me and a friend of mine were playing ... uhm .. Twister," she stuttered as another voice was heard behind her. Suddenly, another woman appeared behind her, also wrapped in a sheet. I looked at Katie in confusion._

_"Baby, you coming back to bed?" the other woman asked Katie, who dropped her head and smiled sheepishly._

_"Yeah, give me a few minutes," she said, looking over her shoulder._

_"So that's your type," I asked, smiling in surprise. I hadn't been mad, but very surprised._

_"I'm afraid so."_

**FLASHBACK**

"You looked stressed, you all right?" Katie asked.

"I'm fine, just been a long day. Still with Marissa? Or is it Lisa tonight?" I asked her, fumbling to get the key in the lock.

"Hardy har har," she laughed sarcastically. "Actually, it's Joanna. Shut it. If you want me to take her tomorrow I will. Give you a break?" Katie asked me. Emma loved her and I knew she wouldn't mind spending time with her. But I also knew Emma would rather be with Vince, so I had to figure out something.

"How 'bout I give you a call tomorrow and we'll see?"

"Alright, night Deke," she waved and went back inside, closing her door.

* * *

The next morning at DT Mechanics, the tension was tight. Mia could tell it was all aimed towards her, and she couldn't help but feel humiliated and ashamed. She tried to steer clear of everyone, working on some paperwork on the old sofa in the back. Jesse tried many times to talk with her, but only because his A.D.D. had prevented him from remembering his anger towards her. She just blew him off, telling him to get back to work. Dom kept taking glances back at her, a part of him wanted to apologize. He knew he went about that the wrong way, but he couldn't take it back now.

"Why don't you try talking to her?" Vince spoke loudly, not caring if Mia could hear or not. He was working on an engine with Letty and Leon while Jesse was in his own office on the computer.

Dom looked at Vince angrily. "Shut up V."

"Don't tell me to shut up Dom. You're acting like a stubborn brat. Both of you two are," Vince said out loud, not caring if he upset either of the siblings.

"V, stay out of it," Dom warned from the inside of the hood of a Supra.

"No Dominic, I'm tired of this shit," Vince tossed a wrench across the garage, getting the whole Team's attention.

"V, chill, dawg," Leon tried, putting his hand on Vince's shoulder. Vince shrugged him off softly, stepping back.

"You got something you wanna say V?" Dom asked, fed up with his attitude.

"Too much Dominic. Why do you act the way you do? So big and bad and feel like you have to bring people down just for you to be happy?" Vince started, not holding back his true feelings.

"Please, V, don't sugarcoat anything," Dom said sarcastically.

"That's exactly my point, D. You don't take shit seriously. Do you know how bad you hurt Mia yesterday? You took away the little happiness she had, just so you could bust her. Couldn't you have found another way to tell us without breaking her heart?" Vince defended Mia, which made her smile over in the corner.

"And you, Mia," her smile soon faded away. "You gotta give us more credit then that. You really think we're dumb enough to pop trucks again?"

"No, V, I just thought maybe Brian would try to show up and bust us again," Mia defended herself finally.

"What do you mean 'us'? Last I checked, it was _me_ hanging from a big rig, not you," Vince stated in a matter-of-fact tone.

"V, what is up with you man?" Letty asked, not fed up with his tone.

"Letty, I'm just tired. Sick and tired of the fights, and hurting each other. We were a family at one point. That's until some people accepted an outside too quickly. Now, we're not as strong as we used to be. I'm tired of being here when there's never any peace," Vince said, his voice now lowered and pained.

"You don't seem to mind the new outsider were accepted," Dom mentioned.

"It's not him, it's Emma," Vince said simply, shifting his weight to his other leg.

"Why V? Why are you so close to her?" Mia asked, carrying her clipboard in hand as she came forward in the shop.

"'Cause she could have been mine," Vince mumbled incoherently.

"What?" Leon asked for the group.

"I said because she could have been mine!" he yelled this time. "She was supposed to be my daughter, not Deacon's."


	10. Going Home

**Thanks for the reviews. Glad to see my readers are back. I'll tie up loose ends in the next one.**

**P.S. This one may be a little short.**

* * *

(Deacon)

I woke up early to find Emma seated in front of the television, a bowl of cereal in front of her.

"What did I tell you about fixing yourself cereal?" I said, walking into the kitchen to start coffee.

"That I should let you do it until I'm old enough," she mocked my tone, making me laugh.

"And why didn't you?"

"I tried to wake you, but you wouldn't get up," she stated simply, shrugging her shoulder. "Can we go see Vince and Mia today?" she asked, obviously forgetting the events of the day before.

I took a deep breath, letting my coffee heat up, as I walked into the living room. I sat on the wrap-around couch and called for Emma to sit with me. She bounced over to me, jumping in the seat next to me.

"Now yesterday, Mia and I broke up. Know what that means?" I asked her. She shook her head. "K, well that means that we won't be seeing much of each other anymore."

Her bottom lip quivered and water immediately sprang to her eyes.

"It's okay honey," I tried to coo her. I pulled her into my arms and rocked her, trying to get her to calm down.

"But I like Mia. And I like Vince. And Dommy. Please Daddy, don't broke up with Mia," she mumbled between cries.

"Shh, babe, it's all right. We just had some differences and decided it was best. You can still see Vince and Dommy," I bargained with her.

"You promise?" she asked, holding out her little finger. I took her little finger with mine, smiling at her.

"I promise babe."

* * *

"What do you mean, Emma's supposed to be yours?" Dom asked, stepping out of the Supra. Vince ran his hands over his head, taking a seat on a nearby stool.

"Five years ago, that night at the races, I saw Deacon talking ot Luna. I watched her go home with him. And I was still pissed for losing, so a few weeks later, I noticed she started coming to the races without him. One night, I took her home for the night," Vince started, a feeling of guilt and pain taking over him.

"You only slept with her once?" Mia asked.

Vince shook his head. "She kept coming back to the races, and back to me."

"So why do you think Emma is supposed to be yours? Did she tell you/" Dom asked, now leaning up against the Supra.

"She disappeared for a few weeks, then she showed up at the races again. I tried to talk to her, but she pulls me aside and tells me she's pregnant. I ask her if its Deke's, she says yeah. That was the last time I talked to her," Vince finished, his breath caught in his throat, tears pricking at his eyes.

"So what you're saying is...Emma might not be Deacon's?" Letty asked, amazed at how things were turning out. Vince nodded. "Oh shit," she mumbled, flopping down in the stool below her.

"That's why they're so close," Dom mumbled, running his hands down his face.

"I need some fresh air, I'll be back later," Vince spoke, walking out of the shop.

The Team waited for his Galant to start. Instantly, it purred to life and Vince sped off of the parking lot, down the road. The gang stayed quiet, everyone processing what just happened. Dom stood from the Supra and walked back to Jesse's office, where he was still modifying what the Supra would look like.

"Hey Kid," Dom flicked Jesse on the head. Jesse removed his large headphones, looking up at Dom quizzically.

"What's up Dominic?" Jesse asked.

"I need you to run a profile on Deacon. Find out everything. Don't mention this to anyone else," Dom asked, leaning against the closed door.

"Alright Dom. Is everything all right?" he asked, as Dom wad about to leave his office.

"The Supra's looking good, Kid," Dom commented, smiling as he ignored his question.

* * *

_In Mexico..._

(Brian)

"Brian, man I don't think this is a good idea," Rome said for the umpteenth time as we pulled out of the city of Tijuana. We decided to wait a few extra days to leave so I could get the clear about Heathrow. We left this morning in my Nissa Fairlady 350Z. Rome decided that he would drive there, considering I was in no condition to drive. Even though I was going to be racing in about a week. Hopefully I would be a little be healed up by then.

I really needed Dom and the Team to pull through for me. I mean, I know I messed up, but I helped them out in the end. I just need Heathrow off my back. I couldn't go through anymore torture than he had planned for me.

At the thought of the pain I suffered, my ribs began aching.

"Did you take your meds today?" Rome asked from the driver seat, noticing I was doubling over in pain.

"Yes, mother, I took them," I said sarcastically, rummaging through my small bag for my pain killers. I popped two of them, followed by a swig of water.

"You really think this will work?" Rome asked, a few hours later. We were just crossing the border back into the U.S. and my heart was started to pound heavily.

"I hope so Ro. I have no other choice."

* * *

Deacon was woken by a knock on his door. He noticed that he was still on the sofa with Emma, considering they had fallen asleep after he had gotten her to calm down. He stood up easily, lying her down on the sofa. He stumbled over to the door, tripping over a few toys left lying around. As he pulled the door open, he was surprised at who was behind it.

"Hey babe, I'm home," the person behind the door said.

"What do you want?" he asked, stepping out onto the porch.

"I came to see her," the person replied, smiling softly.

"Don't you think it's a little late for that?" Deacon sneered, crossing his arms against his chest.

"Deke, just let me see her okay. I miss her."

"No, get the fuck out of here. She's gone this long without you and you're appearance isn't gonna change shit."

"Please Deke, I have the right to see her. I'm clean now Deacon, please," the person begged, only frustrating Deacon more.

"You have two minutes to leave or the cops will be down here," was all Deacon said before he stepped back in the house, slamming the door behind him.

"I can't believe she showed up," Deacon mumbled, his hand over his mouth.

* * *

(Vince)

I drove for a few hours until I got to the last place I thought I'd be. I sat outside the house, watching my father inside his home. He was seated in front of the television, having a good laugh at something. I smiled to myself. I killed the engine on my car and got out. I paced back and forth next to my car, wondering if I was making the right decision. I hadn't seen this man in almost ten years. Who knew how he'd react to me just showing up.

I took a deep breath, hitched up my britches and walked towards the house. I put my hand up to the door, but pulled away quickly.

"Come on V, you can do this," I told myself. I inhaled, knocking at the door a few times.

I backed off the threshold and waited. I stuck my hands in my pocket, nervous to the reaction I'd soon get. Suddenly, the door swung open, revealing an old man with kind eyes.

"Vince," he whispered, tears instantly springing to his eyes.

"Hey Pop," I said, smirking a bit as I fumbled nervously with my keys.

My father walked out the house, moving closer to me. He now stood mere inches from me. He raised his hand to my face, cupping my beard. He used his other hand to run it through my hair, causing me to chuckle a bit. He had a firm grip on my hair as tears began to roll down his face. I looked up at the sky, hoping to fight the tears that threatened to fall from my eyes.

"Oh, my boy," my father pulled me to him, his face on my chest considering I was a good foot taller than him. I laughed as the tears rolled down my cheeks.

"How you doing Old Man?" I asked him happily, hoping to stop the tears that were now streaming.

"Come inside Vincent," he pushed me inside, slamming the door behind him.

I nodded and allowed him to push me inside. He pushed me over to the sofa and walked into a back room.

"Would you like something to drink Vince? Milk? Juice?" he questioned, peeking his head out what seemed to be the kitchen.

"Dad, I'm twenty-four years old. How 'bout a beer?" I laughed as he nodded. He came back out with two beers. I frowned in disgust at his choice of beer. "Budweiser, Dad?"

"What, that's all I have," he smirked, flopping down next to me. He stared at me, scratching his fingers down my beard. "I can't believe my boy is home. I've missed you Vincent," he smiled, giving me a playful punch on the chin.

"I'm glad to be home, Pop."

I looked around his place. It was a typical old man's place. It had fish that he caught hanging on walls, he had a gun rack, a stack of newspapers in a corner and a small TV on a rectangular wooden table. I also noticed what looked like a family photo on his coffee table.

"Dad, why is there a picture of Emma and Deacon here?" I questioned, my eyebrows in a thin line across my face.

"You know them?" Dad asked.


	11. Peace Offering

**Thanks for the reviews.**

* * *

"Dad why is there a picture of Emma and Deacon here?" Vince asked Lou.

"You know them?" Lou asked, his voice shaky and choppy. Vince could tell Lou was acting, and that he knew more than what he was leading on.

"Uh, yeah, I do. How do you know them?" Vince asked, taking the picture in his hand.

"Well Deacon is like my second son, Vince. I've raised him since he was thirteen. Emma's like a granddaughter to me," Lou replied.

"Dammit," Vince muttered to himself. "Did you adopt him?" Vince asked, flopping down back on the sofa.

"No, he just showed up one day, looking for a job and a home. I gave him both. I mean, the cops came here looking for him a few months later, and we sat down and talked and they figured I was a good enough candidate to keep him without going through the legal bullshit."

_I wonder if Mia knows_, Vince thought to himself. "So I guess, Deacon is like my brother?"

"Yeah, I guess so."

"Lou, there's something I have to tell you. But I have to talk to Deacon about it first," Vince stood, all the information he received making him dizzy.

"Where ya going? You just got here. We haven't had time to catch up," Lou stood, rambling off questions to his son.

"Do you have the address to Deke's place?" Vince asked, looking hopeful at his father. Lou nodded and jotted some things down on a piece of paper, handing it to Vince afterward. "Don't worry Pop, I'll be back. I'm gonna go give Deacon a visit," Vince kissed his father on the forehead and headed for the door.

* * *

It was mid-afternoon and back at the shop, the Team was beginning to get lazy and hungry. Since the cafe wasn't open that day, one of the members would have to be designated to go pick up take-out for the gang.

"Anybody willing to go get food?" Dom asked, leaning against the old, beat up Supra guzzling his Corona.

"Yeah, Mia and I will go, right Mi?" Letty volunteered Mia, who smiled happily. She didn't care that she was forced to fetch food for the boys, she was just happy that her best friend was speaking to her again.

"Sure Let," Mia agreed, sitting down her clipboard on the nearest car.

Dom watched as both girls walked out of the garage and down the walkway to Letty's Nissan 300Z32 that was parked on the curb. He waited for them to speed off before he walked to Jesse's office in the back. He knocked softly, then pushed the door open.

"Hey Kid. Find anything?" Jesse pulled his headphones off his ears and slid them onto his neck.

"Some stuff, D. Let's see," Jesse said, clicking a few times on his computer. "Ok, here it is. Deacon Joseph Cruz, born in Savannah, Georgia. Says his dad wasn't in his life and his mom died when he was thirteen. No living relatives, says he ran away from home after his mom died," Jesse rambled off, filling Dominic's mind with info.

"What else?" he muttered, now squatted down by the computer.

"Says he was adopted by Louis Montgomery at age fourteen, right here in LA. He finished up high school here, never went to college," Jesse rambled off the basics.

"Can we skip forward to the good stuff? Pull up the police records or hospital records," Dom ordered, his heart pounding within him.

"Hey is there a reason we're doing this? You know Mi's gonna freak," Jesse mentioned all the while typing away on his keyboard.

Dom gave Jesse as look as to say not ask questions, but do as he was told. Jesse got the look right away and went back to clicking the mouse.

"Here, found it," he was quiet for a few seconds as he read the screen, "Boosted cars for a few months, other than that, he's a clean as a school girl," Dom chuckled, shaking his head. "As for hospital records, there's something about a minor car crash, says it left a nasty scar under his chin. Says he was hit by a drunk driver, plowed right into his rear," Jesse laughed at his choice of words, causing Dom to shake his head and laugh again.

"Anything on there about Emma?" Dom asked, remembering the piece of info Vince gave the Team earlier.

"That's weird," Jesse started, scrolling the screen for more, "there's not a damn thing on here about his own kid. Right here under his info, where it says children," he pointed to the area for Dom, "it's blank. It should have Emma's name, date of birth, and mother's name. It has nothing."

"Shit," Dom yelled, standing and pacing the room.

"What is it D?" Jesse asked, looking up at his friend.

"Emma might not be Deacon's kid, Jess."

* * *

(Letty)

On the way to pick up food (I hadn't yet decided where), Mia and I sat quietly in my car. Honestly, I'd much rather listen to my beautiful baby then the bullshit that comes out of Mia sometimes. I love her to death, she's my best friend, but at times she's just so full of it. I looked over at Mia. She had a look of mixed with sorrow and peace on her face. I knew she wanted to talk.

"What's going on, girl?" I asked her, glancing at the restaurants as we passed them. _McDonalds? No. White Castle? Gross_.

"I miss him," was all she said. I could tell there was a double-meaning to that.

"You miss Deacon, or the Buster?" I asked her, looking at her with a quirked eyebrow.

At first, she frowned in disgust, but her look was soon changed to heartbreak as her eyes weld up with tears. _Oh boy, good going Let_, I said to myself.

"I miss them both. I miss Deacon because he was a sweetheart and he cared about me. He got along great with the boys and even Dom liked him at first. I miss Brian because he was my first love. What's a girl to do, ya know?" she asked with a fake chuckle.

"Mia, you gotta follow your heart, girl," I was never good at giving advice to her. "Who does your heart tell you to love and to trust? Brian...a man who betrayed you and lied to you? A man who just up and left and didn't try to contact you or come back? Or Deacon...a good man who has the trust of everyone in this family and who absolutely adores you?"

"I-I don't know Let. You don't understand how hard it is," was all she could get out before she burst into tears.

"Guess not," I mumbled as I yanked the car to my left, pulling into a Pizza Hut. It would have to do, I had to focus more on stopping the waterworks from Mia.

I jumped out the car and walked over to the other side. I opened Mia's door for her and helped her out. I leaned against the car, holding her close to me as she broke down in the Pizza Hut parking lot. I rubbed soothing circles into her back as she sobbed uncontrollably. I looked around, noticing pigs who call themselves men smiling at us. I frowned and gave them the finger, waving them off. I pulled her face up to look at mine. Her big brown eyes were droopy and her makeup was starting to run.

"Look at'cha chica, your makeup's all over the place," I joked with her, rubbing the dark streaks from her face. I was happy that I got a smile out of her. "Plus, all the gross guys are starting to think we're _special_ friends," I nodded behind her. She turned to look at the guys who were gathered around a S-10 truck, all staring at the two women.

"She's awesome in bed," Mia joked loudly with the guys, grabbing my hand and dragging me to the restaurant.

* * *

(Vince)

I pulled up to the address my father wrote down for me about twenty minutes later. I knew it was the right address, for Deke's Hatchback was parked in front of the apartment complex. I parked next to his car, then got out. I looked back at the paper for the apartment number. _Thirty-one_, I played over in my mind. I shut off my car and got out. After I locked the doors, I looked around the neighborhood. _Not bad Deke,_ I whispered to myself.

I made my way to Deke's apartment. I stood in front of the door, pacing back and forth. How was I going to explain this? That the reason me and Emma are so close is because I might be her father? How's he going to react? I took a deep breath, as I nervously knocked at another door for the second time that day. I waited a few minutes before I heard someone fumbling with the locks. The door pulled open, revealing a small, petite, beautiful young girl. I was taken aback by her gorgeous blue eyes.

"May I help you?" she asked me, leaning in the doorway.

"Um, is this Deacon Cruz's place?" I asked, curious as to if I was at the right place.

"Yeah," the woman stated, interrupted by screams.

"Vince! Vince!" Emma yelled as she ran to the door, squeezing her way pass the lady.

"Hey Em," I smiled as she jumped into my arms.

"So you're the Vince she's been going on about?" the woman's look seemed to change from skeptical to pleased as she looked me up and down.

"That'd be me," I smiled, bouncing Emma in my arms.

"I'm Katie, I live next door. Come on in," the woman, now known as Katie, said as she shook my hand. I followed her inside the apartment, walking over the sofa and taking a seat. "Deacon's in the back taking a nap. He had a long day," Katie smiled, sitting in the recliner next to me.

_Man, she's gorgeous_, I kept replaying to myself.

"Yeah, I know," I replied, my attention diverted to Emma, who was on the floor playing with her toy cars.

"So you belong to the family that signed Deke off as a cop and rat?" the question caught me off guard.

"No, I'm just friends with them," I whispered to her, finally admitting how I felt. I didn't feel like I belonged with them anymore. We've all changed and it wasn't always for the better.

"Well, do you wanna explain to me why you're here?" Katie asked, making me wince slightly She had a bark that you could tell was worse than her bite.

"Um, no, that's kinda why I was looking for Deke," I bit back, both annoyed and aroused by her attitude. I always had a thing for bad girls, which is why I sometimes questioned my feelings for Mia.

I could see Katie's face soften after my growl, which caused me to immediately apologize. I didn't wanna scare her.

"It's okay," she replied with a smile, "I'll go get Deacon for you."

* * *

"Brian, wake up," Rome reached over and hit Brian in the chest. Brian jumped, his nerves shot after the surprise beating he received from Heathrow.

"What is it?" Brian asked, wiping the sleep from his eyes as he sat up in his seat. He noticed the 'Welcome to Los Angeles' sign in a distance and couldn't help but smirk.

"Someone looks glad to be home," Rome noticed Brian's sudden glow at being back in the States. "So what do you wanna do? Wanna go straight in for the kill?" Rome asked sarcastically as he sped through city limits.

"No, let's go get food first. I'm hungry."

* * *

(Mia)

Letty and I finally arrived back at the house more than twenty minutes later. I was in a better mood, now that Letty had talked me out of my depressed stage. We carried in two boxes of pizza each; one for Letty and Dom, one for Jesse, Leon, and I, and the other two were for Vince, who could eat just about anything.

As we walked into the garage, we noticed how lazy the boys looked. Jesse was finally off his computer and was laying on the back sofa of the garage. Leon was texting on his phone, probably to the latest chaser he was sleeping with. Dom was seated in the inside of the Supra. He looked to be stressed. I frowned, sad to see my brother in that stage. He had always been there to take care of me and make sure I had the best of the best.

I grabbed the box of pizza that was made for Dom and Letty, and carried it over the Supra. I leaned in the door slowly, poking Dom in the chest with the box. He opened his eyes slowly and looked at me.

"Peace offering?" I asked, showing him that I wanted to put our fight behind us. He smiled at me and motioned for me to move back. I did as instructed and watched him get out the car. He grabbed the box from me and sat it on top of the hood of the car. Dom pulled me to him, my head resting on his chest. He kissed the top of my head and held me tighter to him. I always did feel safe in my brother's arms.

"I love you Annabelle," Dom whispered in my ear, often using my middle name when he was apologizing.

"I love you too Sanchez," I replied, using his nickname in the same matter.

As loving as our moment was, surely something irritable had to interrupt it; the phone.

"I'll get it," Dom bellowed, as I pulled away and he walked towards the phone hanging off the wall. He answered it with a smile on his face.

"Yeah? ... What do you mean? ... Are you sure about this? ... And you saw him? ... Was he alone? .. Alright, thanks man," by now, I could see the vein popping out of Dominic's forehead. Whoever was on the other end of the phone either had a death wish, or told Dom something he didn't wanna hear.

"Who was that?" Letty questioned, obviously noticing the bothered look on her boyfriend's face.

"That was Edwin. You won't believe who's back in town," we all looked at him with panic and curiosity. "Ol' O'Connor himself."

"Oh shit!" I accidentally scream out loud.


	12. Where History Is

**Thanks for the reviews.**

* * *

"Oh shit!" Mia yelled out loud in response to the news that Brian O'Connor was back in town. Immediately, she felt her heart kick up a few notches. Her eyes watered, but she blinked them away quickly. "Sorry," she whispered to the group. She walked to the back bathroom, slamming the door behind her.

"What are you gonna do?" Letty asked Dom after giving Mia a sympathetic look.

Dom walked back over the Supra and sat on the back of it. He ran his hands over his head, something he did when he was stressed and had to think quickly.

"I dunno, Let. He ruined our lives, but then again, he saved us too," Dom was stumped. He knew it'd kill Vince and the others to see Brian, but they had to find him. "Leon, get on the phone and find Vince. I'm gonna call Edwin back and get a little help," Dominic stood from the Supra, grabbing a clipboard, and walked out of the garage and down the street, in dire need of some fresh air.

"Yo," Edwin said as he answered the phone. Dom had found a nice, shaded area and decided to chill there for a while.

"Edwin, I need some more info."

"Cool, whatcha wanna know Toretto?"

"Now you say Brian was with another guy. What'd he look like?" Dom needed to be prepared.

"He looked like a dark-skinned you," Edwin laughed. "Like I said, we were at a red-light when I saw them, but from what I could tell, he was huge, and bald."

"Did he look like a cop?"

"No way man, he couldn't have been po-po. Dude had a lot of tattoos and was driving one of the sweetest rides I've seen in LA."

"What was it?" Dom was curious, just so he could be on the lookout. "You or Darco didn't happen to get the plate did you?"

"I had a feeling you'd ask," Edwin gave Dom the license plate information. "But he was driving a Fairlady 350Z with a Florida plate. Pretty bad ass whip, man," Edwin went on.

"You said you saw them going to Arby's; did they look suspicious?" Dom questioned, taking in everything he was hearing.

"Not really, real nonchalant-like. But O'Connor looked like he got hit by a fucking train."

"What do you mean?"

"Well he was all wrapped up. Yeah, his leg was in a long cast and he had crutches. He had a lot of bruises on his face."

Dom felt he had all he needed and said his goodbyes to Edwin. He walked back to the garage, his nerves on edge.

* * *

"Deke, get up," Katie nudged a sleeping Deacon in bed. He didn't budge. She took a deep breath and quickly punched Deke in his bare side, receiving a cough and stern glare from Deacon.

"What the hell was that for?" he asked as he sat up, holding his side.

"You have company. And she giggled as Deacon stood and followed her into the living room. He froze as he saw Vince sitting on the sofa, Emma on his lap. "Emma, why don't you get your car and come over to my place. I have the new Spongebob Squarepants DVD!" Katie bribed her. Emma's eyes lit up as she jumped off Vince's lap and ran to her. She hugged her father around his legs, then followed Katie out of the house.

"What are you doing here?" Deacon asked, walking into the kitchen. He reached into the fridge and into his secret compartment where he stashed his beers. He grabbed two Coronas -- the only ones he had left -- and walked into the living room.

"First off, I wanted to say I'm sorry about what happened yesterday," Vince apologized after taking the beer that was handed to him. "You don't understand, what Mia did was wrong, but she was just trying to protect us."

"From what? What is it that she's so freaked I'm gonna find out about?" Deacon asked after sipping his beer.

Vince contemplated on if he should tell Deacon the whole story. He didn't completely trust the guy, but he knew that if he explained the situation, he could get Deke to talk to Mia. As much as he hated to see her with someone, he hated seeing her broken-hearted. After all, all he wanted from her was happiness. And she was happy with Deke, and everyone could tell.

"It's a long story so I'll make it as short as possible," Vince gulped down another mouthful of the golden liquid as he sat back on the couch. "A few years ago, Dom came up with another one of his get-rich-quick schemes and it backfired on us. He decided that we'd hijack semi-trucks that carried millions of dollars worth DVDs, TVs, radio systems, the works, and sell 'em for twice of what they were worth. So we did a few jobs and got away with it. The money was great and the jobs were easy. That's when the cop showed up," V took another break to take a drink. Deacon stared at Vince, shock clearly written on his face. He had heard about the hijackings everywhere, but didn't have any idea that he'd end up friends with the people who had done it. "Anyways, Brian Earl Spilner, or O'Connor, showed up just as the jobs were coming quicker. I could tell he was a cop, he was too nosy. Skip a few chapters, we were coming up on the last heist, the 'mother load' as Dom called it. After that we were done, guaranteed to be set for life. Except it went horribly wrong," Vince felt himself choke up at the memory.

"Take your time, bro," Deacon said, noticing how difficult it was for Vince to let out such a painful memory.

Vince winced at the name Deacon had called him._ Bro_, he replayed in his mind. That made him remember why he had showed up in the first place. He shook it off and went back to the story.

"Yeah, well we were coming up on the truck. I got on it, everything was easy. I didn't even notice the prick truck-driver had a twelve-gage shotgun ready to blow my brains out. Somehow, I ended up tangle up on the truck, hence how I got this nice scar," Vince pointed to his forearm. "The cop ended up being the one pulling me off of the truck. A few minutes later I wake up in the hospital with my arm nearly hanging off and my gut bleeding like a stuck pig. I was shot and didn't even remember it. After the docs bandaged me up and fixed my arm, cops come busting in my room and questioning me. They told me that Brian was an undercover police officer and that he ran."

"Way to make it short," Deacon said sarcastically as he ran his hands through is hair. He pieced everything together. Something wasn't right. "Hold up," he said, "if you guys hijacked semi-trucks and sold shit worth millions, you wouldn't be sitting in my living room right now. Why aren't you in prison?" Deacon's questions caused Vince to tense up. Maybe he made the wrong decision in telling him.

"Brian ran with the evidence, smart guy," Vince replied sarcastically. "Dom took Leon, Mia, and Letty with him to Mexico and hid out for a while. Jesse nearly died over some bullshit with some enemies of ours. After we got out the hospital, we both had to do some jail time for withholding information. Got a few months, nothing big. After we got out, we were informed by an anonymous caller that our records were miraculously cleared and Dom and the others could come home."

"You think it was the cop?" Deacon asked. Vince nodded. "So Mia thinks that after the cop disappeared, he's still working to nail you guys?" Vince nodded again, taking the last gulp of his beer. "Damn, " Deacon dropped his head in his hands. "I made a huge mistake, Vince."

"I know you did. I have something other things to tell you," Vince knew he couldn't waste anymore time. He needed to tell Deacon about Emma. Deacon looked at him like he had grown a second head. He wasn't sure if he could take anymore.

"Wha-what?" Deacon asked, his voice shaky. Vince felt tears pricking at his eyes. He licked his bottom lips as he fought the tears down. He knew he would have to be drunk to get the guts to tell Deacon everything.

"Got anymore beers? We're gonna need 'em."

* * *

After Brian and Roman left Arby's, they drove around the town. Brian wanted to see what all had changed, and what was different. He still saw the rebellious teens who hung out on the streets. He still saw local racers and they're street mods. He couldn't help but smile. He missed the race scene out in LA. It was way different from the scene in Miami, and completely opposite of the scene in Tijuana. What he noticed was different was that the Toretto's Café wasn't open. It was a Saturday and it was normally open. He asked Rome to drive by, just to see if the Team would be there. They weren't, and he was happy and let down at the same time. Happy that he wasn't getting another ass-kicking, and let down that he wouldn't be able to see how they were living.

"Turn here," Brian instructed as he led Rome to the Racer's Edge. He wanted to see his old boss.

They parked on the curb, and Rome helped Brian out the car. Brian tried to walk hurriedly into the store, for he didn't wanna be spotted by anyone. He didn't want word to get back to Dom that he was in town. He knew that once it did, they'd haunt him down like prey.

Brian limped his way into Harry's store, smiling at the way the 'hired help' (as Hector liked to call them) was looking. Brian turned to Rome, whom he could tell had the same thing in mind. They reached the counter.

"Harry Kiser, please," Brian said as he put his body weight on his crutches. One of the Asian clerks walked in the back. Rome was busy flirting with the other worker. The clerk woman came back, Harry on her heels. He aged over the three years that Brian had seen him. He had more wrinkles in his face, his hair was greying and he was growing a beard around his mouth. He now walked with a cane and had a limp of his own.

"Hey Old Man. Got some nice lookin' hired help around here," Brian said with his heart-warming smile that wooed many women. Harry smiled happily and walked around the counter to give Brian a manly hug.

"It's been a while O'Connor," Harry said, patting Brian on the back. "What happened to ya, son?" Harry asked, concerned at Brian's appearance.

"You know, can't stay out of trouble. Got into it with a few guys, you should see them," he joked, causing Harry to laugh. "I could ask you the same question. What's with the cane?"

"Had a break-in last year, things got a li'l rowdy. Caught a few shots in my back, curved my spinal cord. I'm lucky all I got was this cane," Harry said, lifting the cane from the ground. "Who's your friend?" Harry asked, noticing how Roman was still flirting with the Asian, who was now handing over her phone number to the smooth talker.

"Rome!" Roman ignored Brian's call. "Yo, Ro!" Brian yelled, finally getting his friend's attention.

"What man? Don't you see I'm busy?" Rome gave Brian attitude, but smiled afterward.

"Get over here man," Brian nodded him over. Rome finally sighed and said goodbye to his new 'friend'. "Harry, this is my best friend, Roman Pearce. Rome, this is the man who gave me my job and home when I came here, Harry Kiser," Harry and Roman shook hands.

"Well we just wanted to stop by and say hello. We gotta some people to visit," Brian said, his body tensing up at the thought of visiting the Torettos.

"Yeah, the Team was asking around about you for a while. Said they wanted to make amends," Harry said, walking back around the counter and taking a seat by his office door.

Brian couldn't help but smile inside. Maybe things weren't going to be as bad as he expected. He was happy that the Team wanted to give him a second chance, but he knew better and he still had his thoughts.

"See ya around Harry. Come on Ro," Brian said his goodbyes, almost having to drag Rome away from his new 'friend'.

After they got back in the car, Rome turned to Brian.

"Where to now?" Rome asked, starting the car.

"DT Mechanics. That's probably where history is."

* * *

"Dom, I can't get a hold of Vince. His phone's off," Leon said as Dom paced around the garage, slice of pizza in hand.

"Keep callin'," Dom replied, shoving the last of the food in his mouth. He was worried sick about Mia, who had been in the bathroom for almost forty-five minutes. Letty had gone in after the first fifteen to check on her, and they hadn't been out since.

Dom went back to working on the Supra, needing something to get his mind of Brian. _Bad choice_, he said to himself as he backed away from the once orange Supra that Brian had given him the day of the last heist. Letty and Mia finally came out of the bathroom, Letty looking exhausted, and Mia quite refreshed.

"You let her vent, didn't you?" Dom asked Let as she walked by. She gave him a hateful look and kept going. Dom chuckled to himself. "Jesse, what'd you find on that Fairlady?" he yelled out loud.

"It doesn't belong to that guy, it's Brian's car," Jesse yelled from his office.

"Got a picture?" Dom asked, walking back to Jesse's room.

"Yo, Dom!" Leon yelled from the garage door. He had been there smoking a cigarette.

"What Le?" Dom asked in annoyance. When Leon didn't respond, Dom marched exasperatedly to the door.

"That what you looking for?" Leon asked, pointing his cigarette to the white and black Fairlady parking across the street.

Dom felt adrenaline kick in as he marched to the car.


	13. Emotions Running High

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but characters you don't recognize.**

**Thanks for the reviews.**

* * *

(Vince)

I offered to run across the street to the convenience store to pick up a twelve-pack of Corona. I knew that was the only way I'd be able to tell Deacon that I might be Emma's real dad. After I returned to the house, I could tell Deacon was on pins and needles the way he paced the living room. He looked like shit.

"Deacon, get a beer and take a sit," I ordered, sitting the carton on the table. I pulled out a beer and cracked it open, taking a long swig of it.

"Alright V, start talking," Deacon finally said, after amazingly gulping down his first beer. He pulled out another one and sat back, waiting for another long story.

"Ok. You remember Luna?" _That was a dumb question V, of course he does_.

"Uh, yeah I do. She came here today to see Emma. I told her to fuck off," Deacon ranted. I was shocked to hear she showed up, but I continued with my story.

"Okay well you know how that night we raced, you went home with her?"

"Vince, get on with it, stop asking dumb questions."

I shook my head, taking another drink of my beer. "Well a few days after that she showed up there. And you weren't with her. And I was still pissed off about being humiliated in front of the whole scene. So I fucked her," I choked out, hoping he didn't catch it. By the look on his face, I could tell her heard it.

"You slept with Luna?" Deacon asked, his eyebrows forming an angry line. I nodded nervously. I wasn't afraid of this guy, but I knew how fathers could act when it came to their daughters. "What are you saying V?"

"Just listen," I finished my second beer and grabbed another one. "After that first night, I wasn't gonna go back to her. But she came back to me, more than once. So we kept sleeping together. That went on for about a month and then she stopped showing up. I was thankful, ya know, she was starting to get old. But then I saw her a few months later at another race and I went to talk to her, next thing I hear is that she's pregnant," I stopped to take a deep breath. Deacon's face was reddening by every word I spoke, and that caused me to tense up even more.

"She told you it was mines, right?" Deacon said, his voice skeptical but full of hope.

"Yeah. But I'm not so sure. I mean look at Emma, Deke. That girl looks like me and you can't deny that," my voice rose as I pointed to a picture of Emma on a end table. Deacon stared at it, and his eyes watered instantly. He blinked and turned his face away from it.

"Emmanuelle is _my_ daughter! I have raised her since the day she was born! How fuckin' dare you come in here and say that she might not be mine!" Deacon yelled, the tears falling from his eyes. I nursed my beer and stared down the neck of it, too ashamed to look at Deacon.

"Come on Deke, look at her. We have the same eyes, the same nose," I said, my voice creaky as I felt pain burn at my throat. Deacon stood from his recliner and paced the house quickly.

"She has my eyes, Vince! Those are my eyes!" Deacon yelled between sobs. My vision blurred with water as the tears threaten to fall down my cheeks.

"Deke, I love Emma just as you do. I never had a chance to have something I can call mine. Except my Maxima and I lost that," I began to trail off. "Emma might be mine, Deke. She might be my kid. I know that hurts you when I say that, but its the truth. Now unless we can find out the truth, we're both gonna be in a lot of pain for a long time."

"So - so what do you suggest we do?" he asked between sniffles. His face was red and his cheeks were moist with tears. His hair was messy from him running his fingers through it. I knew my face was just the same.

"Take a paternity test."

"And if she comes out my daughter, which she is, then I want you to stop with this shit. Put an end to it and go about your life."

That hurt more than I thought it would. Even if Emma wasn't mine, I'd still want to see her. She's become a big part of me already..

"Ok. But if she is mine..."

"What?" Deacon asked, his eyebrow raised. He was wearing a hole in the carpet and my nerves.

"I want her to move in with me," I whispered. That set Deacon off. He tossed his empty beer bottle at a nearby wall, shattering it everywhere.

"Bullshit, Vincent! Emma is my daughter! I raised her since she was a baby! I'm the one who taught her to walk and talk. I'm the one who taught her everything she knows about cars. I'm the one she calls Daddy! You will never take that away from me!" Deacon verbally attacked me.

I nodded in understanding. Just as I was about to reply, the front door to the apartment opened. It was Katie and Emma. I immediately brightened up at the sight of them both.

"Hey guys. I have to run some errands," Katie said as she led Emma into the house. Deke held his arms out after quickly wiping his tears. Emma ran into his arms and he lifted her into the air, carrying her to a back room. "You all right?" Katie asked, noticing that tears were still falling down my eyes.

"Yeah, I'm good. Just having a rough time, is all," I replied, not wanting to give her too much information. She walked over to where I was seated and grabbed the half-full bottle that I was nursing between my legs. She looked me in my eyes and took a long gulp, placing it back in my hands. She ran her fingers over my beard and up through my hair, which made me immediately sleepy. I felt a sharp pain run through my chest, but I ignored it as I was mesmerized by Katie's fingers.

"Everything's gonna be okay, Vince. Whatever it is that you two were talking about that has you both upset, I'm sure it can be resolved," Katie placed a soft kiss on my fuzzy cheek and stood up. Deacon returned to the living room alone, himself more composed. His face was dry, but he still looked like hell. He crossed his arms and leaned up against a nearby wall. "Deacon, I have to go to in to work. I'll be back later and if you want we can talk if you like," Katie said in the form of a question. Deacon nodded.

Katie waved her goodbyes, tossing me a wink and a smile, and left. Deacon finally spoke with hoarse words.

"We'll go take a test first thing Monday morning. This is the first and last time I'm going, so if you miss it, that's too bad," Deacon said, turning and walking away. A door eventually slammed, making me wince.

I stood and cleaned up the empty bottles, tossing them in the trash. I grabbed the leftovers and left Deacon's place. Thankfully, I wasn't drunk, so I was fully capable of driving home. I decided to stop and pick up some food on the way.

* * *

"You boys done acting like children?" Letty asked, standing in between Dom, Brian, and Rome. No one spoke, only glared at each other more.

Dominic, Brian, and Rome were all sitting at three different areas of the garage, glaring at one another. Dom was sitting at the front door holding an ice pack to his forehead, and a washcloth to his bloody nose. Brian was sitting in the back on a car, with more of a bruised ego that body. Rome was sitting on the other side of the garage by the door, an ice pack to his lip and his eye was nearly swollen shut.

Once Dom made it across the street to the car, he marched around to Brian's side, snatching him out. Brian fell to the ground with a 'thud', and let out a shriek. His previous beating did his body no justice, and he was still feeling the effects very well. Before Dom could drop his heavy fist onto Brian's face, Rome was to his rescue. The two giants scuffed it out for a while before Leon, Jesse, and Brian broke them up. Finally, some authority stepped in.

"Enough! Get to the garage, now!" Letty ordered, and just like that, the boys were separated in the garage.

After hearing the commotion, Mia came out of the office and literally fainted at the sight of Brian. Leon ran to her aide, carrying her over to the sofa in the back. He cleaned her face with a wet cloth and fanned her, waiting for her to come back to consciousness. Now, she was leaning on a Cavalier, arms crossed and a scowl on her face.

"What's yo problem, man?" Rome asked Dom, finally fed up with the silence.

"Brian O'Connor's my problem! He ruined my family! He lied to us and betrayed us!" Dom bellowed, his anger resurfacing.

"Dom, enough!" Mia yelled, finally adding herself to the altercation. She walked to the front of the garage, standing next to Letty. Brian couldn't help but look her up and down. Still beautiful, he thought to himself. "Now, Dom you're right. Brian did ruin us. He fucked us over royally!" Brian lowered his head in shame. "But he also saved us. He kept you outta prison for life and cleared our records. I'd call him a savior."

"Thanks Mi-" before Brian could get a word out, Mia planted a slap hard across his cheek. Letty turned away, not wanting to see what else Mia would do. Leon and Jesse stepped forward to stop her, but Dom held his hand across the way, stopping them. He knew she needed to get this off her chest.

"That's for lying to me," she said with cold words. Before Brian could speak again, she smacked him hard again. "And that's for breaking my heart," Brian felt tears burning at his eyes. Not from the pain of the slaps, but from the pain of her words. Suddenly, Mia pulled Brian into a hug, tears rolling down her cheeks. "That's for saving my family."

After Mia pulled away, she walked over with Letty, wrapping her arms around herself. She didn't want to feel anything for Brian, but she couldn't get over how good he looked, even bruised and battered. Brian looked around the garage at the Team, surprised how different everyone looked. Leon's hair was longer and he had more tattoos. Letty's hair was also longer and she looked more lean and didn't look to have that same hateful glare in her eyes. Dom's head had fuzz hair at the top, but nothing long. He looked as if he was even bigger, but his eyes screamed that he was afraid of something. Then his eyes stopped on Jesse. Jesse looked older and more built, but still as pale as before. He still wore his beanies and black fingernail polish.

"Good to see you made it, Jess," Brian smiled at Jesse. Jesse held out his fist to Brian, bumping knuckles with him.

"Sweet ride, Bri," was all Jesse said. He looked around the garage, noticing a missing body. Brian felt sad, instantly thinking the worst.

As if he read his mind, Leon filled him in. "Don't worry Buster, Vince is just out running around right now. He's very much alive," Brian nodded and let out a sigh of relief.

"Where's the Skyline?" he asked Leon, knowing how much love he had for his baby.

"I have no idea. Cops probably fed-exed her off to Japan or something," Leon joked, though he was sad inside.

"How you doin' Letty?" Brian asked her, smirking a bit. Though Letty didn't trust him, her and Brian got along great while he was there.

"Looks like you've been better," she ignored his question.

"Yeah, what happened to you O'Connor?" Dom asked, finally curious as to why he was all bandaged up. "You're not still a cop, are you?"

"No! I quit right after I handed you those keys. Then after I got to Miami, I had to do one last job to clear my records and yours," Rome cleared his throat in the middle, asking Brian for some recognition. "This was my partner on the case. We grew up together in Barstow," Brian was interrupted by Leon.

"I thought you were from Arizona?"

"Well I am. My family moved from Arizona to Barstow when I was in high school. But anyways, this is Roman Pearce," Brian introduced. They all shook hands with Rome, except Dom, who gave him a small nod.

"Anyways, that's why I'm here today. I got in bad with this guy and he doesn't like to place nice."

"What a surprise, neither do we. What'd you do?" Letty smirked.

"Brian here decided he'd fuck over some goons after a race. A couple millions and our cars were up for a tag-team race. Brian decided he'd only pay half the money," Rome informed, still upset at Brian's stupidity.

"Look, if it wasn't for your sorry ass driving, I wouldn't have had to rip them off," Brian argued back, sick of Rome blaming him for everything.

"Well if you weren't being so big-headed, you would've paid everything off!" Rome yelled back.

"Shut up, both of you!" Mia yelled, already annoyed by their child-like bickering.

Rome looked around the garage, noticing an untouched pizza box sitting on the hood of a car. He looked at Jesse and Leon and pointed to it. Without their permission, Rome opened the box and began to devour the food. They laughed, along with Letty, for he reminded them a lot of Vince.

"I have a few questions Brian," Dom said, finding it hard to understand. "One, who is this mystery guy, and where the hell did you get _millions_?" Dominic put emphasis on the last word.

"In Miami. Rome and I ran shit there. We were the Kings of Miami. We had money, women, and so many cars its ridiculous," Brian boasted, making Mia shift uncomfortably. "And the dude is Heathrow Desamis. Big time bad-ass out there. Business who runs shit, ya know. We were racing his goons, soon as he found out I fucked him over, he came after me. He's been kicking my ass for about two months now," Brian admitted, wincing at the sudden pain he got in his leg.

"And how much money do you owe him, exactly?" Dom asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Just a million," Brian whispered, ashamed at his stupid behavior.

"Are you fucking kiddin' me?!" Letty yelled, bewildered by the amount of money.

"That's why I'm here. I need your help, Dom. Everyone. I can't do this alone. I can't make a million dollars in Mexico, the races aren't half as good as the ones here," the Team felt proud of what Brian was claiming, but were still skeptical.

"So you're saying that you expect us to make a million dollars ... in how much time?" Dom asked incredulously.

"Two months."

"Follow us to the Fort, I gotta think about this," Dom spat with ice in his voice as he tossed Leon some keys. "Close it up."

Everyone piled into their cars and sped off behind Dominic to the Fort. Soon enough, everyone was seated in the house, Dom seated in the recliner, Rome and Brian on the large couch, Leon in the other recliner and Jesse on the arm of it, and Letty and Mia leaning against a wall. The air was thick with tension and the silence was nerve-racking.

Everyone was so into the intense look Dom had on his face that they didn't hear the Galant pull up. Once Vince was inside the house, he noticed Brian and Rome sitting on the sofa. He immediately felt rage, then dizziness as his body collapsed to the ground. Dom and Mia ran to Vince's aide, Mia hovering over him.

"V, wake up brotha!" Dom yelled, shaking V's body. He didn't move. Mia felt for his pulse, then placed her ear over his chest.

"He's not breathing."


	14. In Need of Closure

**Thanks for the reviews.**

* * *

(Deacon)

As I lie in my bed next to Emma, I just stared at her face. _She does look like him_, I kept telling myself. The dark hair, the shinning blue eyes, the wide smile; this was his daughter._ Shut up Deke_, I battled with myself. Emma's yours. _You fought your ass off to get custody of this little girl and you aren't gonna give her up now. She's all you have._

I ran my fingers over her hair, trying to fight my emotions that were building up. I didn't want to lose Emma. She was all I had left, other than Lou. How could I be able to trust Vince with her? How will I know that she's fine without me? I mean, he lives in a basement for Christ sakes! How can he possibly raise a child living in a house with that many people?

Just as I continued to think about this morning's events, my cell phone began buzzing over on the table. I reached over and flipped it over, not really in the mood to talk to anymore.

"Deacon, don't hang up please!" it was Mia. Her voice was urgent and full of worry. I sat up quickly.

"What's wrong baby?" _I let that slip_, I told myself.

"I need you to meet me at the Cedars-Sinai hospital immediately! I think Vince had a heart attack," she said, her voice now squeaky and full of emotion. There was commotion in the background, sounds of a siren ringing in my ear.

"What happened?" I asked as I instantly jumped up, sliding my feet in my flip flops.

"It's a long story, just come please."

"I'm on my way," I replied, hanging up my phone. I shoved it in my back pocket and tried to wake Emma. "Baby, get up," I whispered to her. She stirred and sat up.

"Where ya going Daddy?" she asked as I grabbed my car keys from the dresser.

"Going to see Vince, wanna come?" I asked, knowing she'd hate if I left her with Katie again. She nodded and jumped out of bed. "I need shoes!" I smiled, despite the situation as she ran to her room. I waited by the door for her to come back out. It was dark outside, which meant the temperature had dropped from eighty-nine to fifty-two. I grabbed her jacket from the sofa, tossing it around her body.

"Daddy, don't you need a shirt?" she asked as I opened the door. I lifted her into my arms, shaking my head 'no' at her question. I walked next door to Katie's house to fill her in.

I knocked softly at the door. She came to the door, her smiling face instantly worried.

"Deke, what's up man?" she asked, stepping out onto the deck.

"Vince is at Cedars-Sinai, I'm going to see him. Wanna come?" I asked, knowing she had an attachment to the man already.

"Oh my gosh, is he okay? Nevermind, I'll get my shoes ," she said, running back into her house. I walked down the stairs to the parking lot. I sat Emma in the backseat of the Hatchback. I started the car and waited for Katie to come down. After she finally got in, I sped off out of the complex and down the road.

* * *

"We brought coffee," Rome and Brian said as they made their way back to the waiting room. Rome found Brian a wheelchair and they decided to go the lobby to get the gang some coffee. Everyone was a mess as they waited for the doctors to come out with some type of news, whether it be good or bad.

Dom was sitting in a chair, his elbows on his knees with his hands crossed under his chin. His eyes were full of tears, but he was yet to let one of them fall. He was so hurt by what happened to Vince. He didn't know if his best friend was okay or not. Letty sat next to him, her arms crossed across her chest as she stared absently at the floor. Vince was one of her best friends and for something to be wrong with him was a surprise to her. Leon was sitting on the other side of the room, one arm around Jesse. The Kid had been crying the whole ordeal and his legs were bouncing uncontrollably. Mia paced the waiting room floor, her tear-stricken face clearly worried. Dom had tried many times to get her to sit, but she only snatched away and continued pacing.

"Thanks guys," Leon said, his raspy voice snapping everyone out of their dazes. Rome handed out coffees, taking a seat next to Dom with two in his hand. He nudged Dom a bit, waiting for him to lift his head. When he did, he looked at Rome with curious, but sad eyes.

"I'm sorry about him. I could tell by the way you ran to his side that he was your main man, huh?" Rome asked, handing Dom the coffee. Dom nodded, taking it gladly. "Well Brian's my main man too. He got me in a lot of shit back in the day, but he's the reason I'm sitting right here right now. He cleared my record and took me in. He's the only family I have left," Rome muttered, hoping the conversation would stay between him and Dominic. "Brian's a good guy, man. He does a lot of shit, but he doesn't mean any harm to anyone. You know, if he was a real punk ass cop, he would've sent you to jail for life that day. Woulda turned all of you in, but he didn't. You should be thankful," Rome finished, standing up and walking over to Brian's side.

Finally, a doctor in a long, white jacket and slacks came into the waiting room. Mia was the first one in his face.

"How is Vince? Is he okay? He's still alive isn't he?" Mia bombarded the doc with question.

"Vincent is fine, ma'am," everyone seemed to exhale at the same time. "But it seems that he is extremely stressed. Vince had a mild heart attack," the doctor said, his voice low but certain. Gasps filled the air as everyone looked at the doctor in shock.

"But he's only 24, he's too young for that," Brian said, curious as to what the doctor was saying.

"True, but with the stress he showed and with him being a little over-weight, his heart was showing very much strain. Also, this could have been caused by any smoking or an excessive amount of alcohol consumption," everyone turned away, knowing how much the Coyote loved his beers.

"So will he be okay? Is it going to happen again?" Dom asked, unsure if he could take anything else happening to Vince.

Before the doctor could speak, the waiting room doors pushed open. Deacon stood shirtless at the door, Emma in his hands and Katie by his side. Mia instantly scowled at Deacon, unsure of his relationship with the woman. Dom seemed to grow angry as he noticed the woman hanging off Deacon's arm.

"Continue," was all Deacon said as they sat in seats nearest to the door.

"Well, Vince is going to be fine. We took some X-rays, blood tests, and did a EKG scan. Right now he's on some morphine for the chest pains, but he is okay. He'll need to work on losing weight if he wants to have better health. And he has got to take care of that stress. Whatever's causing him emotional and mental pain is wearing on him physically. Vince will be fine, just take care of the lad, You can see him now," the doctor smiled, calming everyone's nerves.

After the doctor left, the room grew silent again, all eyes on Deacon and his 'friend'. Deacon didn't seem to notice Brian or Rome, but Brian was staring at Deacon immensely. _Where do I know you?_ Brian asked himself.

"Deke, you think I can talk to you outside?" Mia barked, not waiting for a reply. He sat Emma down in his chair and followed Mia outside. As soon as the door shut behind him, Mia left Deacon have it. "Who the hell is that?" Mia yelled.

"Why does it matter Mia? Last I checked, we weren't together," he knew the words would hurt them both, but he couldn't stop his mouth from spilling them. Mia winced and took a step back.

"Deacon, look, I'm sorry okay. I didn't meant to hurt you that way. I was just trying to protect my family-" Mia began apologizing.

"Save it Mia. I already know," Deacon stopped her. She grew pale and looked hurt. "Vince told me," she breathed a sigh of relief. "And I have to apologize for the other day. I overreacted and I got a little out of control," Deacon said, stepping closer to her. He placed both hands on Mia's face, his thumb wiping away the tears that managed to fall. "I'm sorry Mia. I care about you, you know. And Emma adores you. Think we can do this over?" Deacon asked, a smile curling at his lips.

"Nothing would make me happier," Mia replied, pulling Deke closer to her as she placed her soft lips against his. They shared a passionate kiss that would make the most loving couple jealous. Deke entwined his fingers with Mia's as they re-entered the waiting room.

Upon seeing them enter, Dom smiled at the joyful look on his sister's face. Deacon saw that Emma was now in Leon's arms, smiling happily. Brian heart instantly broke as he saw the happy look Mia had on her face. I used to make her smile like that, he said to himself.

"Guys, this is my neighbor, Katie. Her and Vince are becoming good friends," Deacon smiled, wiggling his eyebrows at her.

"Oh shut up Deke! I'm a lesbian," she stated, ever-so-bluntly. Letty's eyebrow quirked to the sky as she couldn't help but let out a laugh. The boys lets out cat-calls and whistles, but calmed down after seeing her blush.

"Let's go see our boy," Dom smirked as he stood from his seat, patting Deacon on the back as he walked past. Leon carried Emma out the room with everyone else. Nobody bothered to introduce Brian and Rome to Deacon.

* * *

(Vince)

I woke up in a hospital with a pounding headache and my chest was aching bad. I felt like I had been stabbed in my chest multiple times. I tried to sit up, but immediately regretted it when a pain shot up my left arm and through my chest again. I struggled to remember what happened as I looked around. I noticed an older nurse sitting at a chair next to the door, filling out paperwork.

"Nice to finally see you awake, Mr. Montgomery," the nurse said, standing from the chair and walking over to me.

"Please, call me Vince," I said sarcastically.

"I'm just going to check your vitals, then I'll give you some privacy," I nodded as she checked my IV, then wrote some things down on her clipboard. Just as she was walking out of the room, there was a group of people walking in.

"Hey pumpkin, you sure do know how to shake things up, huh?" Leon asked as he was first to walk in. I smiled brightly as I saw Emma was in his arms. She waved slightly, her hands shyly in her mouth.

The rest of the Team piled in, including Katie and Deacon. I smiled at Katie, and gave Deacon a curt nod.

"Thanks for coming, you know, despite everything earlier," I whispered to him. He took my hand in his, giving it a tight squeeze.

"No sweat. I need you to be alive for that test," he smiled, placing a firm hand on my shoulder.

I noticed the Buster in a wheelchair and a larger man by his side enter the room last. I remembered that Brian's face was the last that I saw before my world went dark.

"Well, well, well. Who beat your ass, Hot Wheels?" I said coldly, staring at Brian with anger.

"Vince, cut the shit. We gotta talk to you," Dom spoke, pulling a seat up next to my bed.

I obeyed Dom, turning my attention to him. "What happened to me Dom? All I remember is seeing the cop, then bam! I was out."

"Vince, I dunno how to say this..." Dom struggled speaking, running a hand down his face.

"What?" I asked, starting to panic myself.

"Vince, you had a heart attack." My breath caught in my throat at the words that were just spoken. You had a heart attack.

"What? I mean, how?" I asked. I was so young, why would something be wrong with my health?

"Vince, you're over-weight, you drink too much, and the doc says you're under a lot of stress," Letty spoke blunty as she sat on the other side of me.

"Please, Let, don't sugarcoat anything," I said sarcastically, struggling to understand the situation.

"You're not gonna get any better if you don't take care of yourself V," Jesse spoke finally. It seemed like everyone on the Team was trying to get through to me.

"Yeah Dawg, Jesse's right. We don't wanna end up in here again, except the doc telling us your dead," Leon spoke, everyone nodding in agreement. It was then that I noticed that everyone had truly cared about me. They weren't living just for themselves, they cared. Even Deacon, who didn't move from my side. My eyes landed on Katie. She smiled brightly at me, which instantly gave me a fuzzy feeling in the pit of my stomach.

_Was that just butterflies? Since when did Vincent Montgomery get butterflies?_

"Wait, Vince you said something about the cop. This the same cop from the story?" Deacon asked. I nodded with my eyes shut. I knew the Team wouldn't take to me telling him about our past.

"Yeah, that'd be the Buster in the wheelchair. He was the cop who fucked my family over," I bellowed, pointing to Brian. Brian rolled his eyes at me, the guy at his side not looking happy either. "But he saved my life," I smiled, nodding at Brian. I wanted him to know that I forgave him and that I was thankful that he got me off that truck.

"So you're Brian O'Connor?" Deacon asked as he walked around to Brian. I could tell he was angry, but was holding it in.

"In the flesh, and you are?" Brian returned the question. He had a glint in his eyes as if he had some familiarity with Deacon.

"Deacon Cruz, Mia's _boyfriend_," he put emphasis on the word. I smiled. I easily liked Deacon better than Brian.

"Deke, you mean, Deke from way back when? Deacon Cruz from high school?" How the hell did the Buster know Deacon? I could see that look upon everyone's face, especially Mia.

"'Zona? No fucking way," Deacon spoke, looking Brian up and down.

"You two know each other?" I asked, looking between a shocked Brian and Deke.

"Yeah, we went to high school together for a few years. He's the reason I have my 'Stang," Deke said, his eyes not moving from Brian. "What the hell happened to you?" Deke asked, the same question I was wondering.

"Got his ass beat because he's dumb," the dark-skinned man standing next to him said. I chuckled at his bluntness. "I'm Roman Pearce. Been rolling with this fool for years," he scowled at the back of Brian's head.

* * *

(Dom)

I sat next to Vince's bed, rubbing my temples with the tips of my fingers, with Letty behind me rubbing my shoulders. I was becoming bored with this conversation. Vince was okay, but he wasn't in the clear. I just wanted to get out of here, but I knew that we had to make a decision about the reason Brian and Rome were here. It was then that a nurse entered the room.

"Ma'am, when can Vince be released?" I asked, as she walked over to a machine hooked onto Vince's chest and began writing something on a clipboard. She removed the IV from his hands and placed a bandage over it.

"Well, the doctor wants to keep him overnight just in case. But Vince, you can go home in the morning," she smiled politely. Vince nodded and smiled back. The nurse finished writing, then she left the room, leaving us to the awkward silence again. We needed to get down to business.

"So, what are we gonna do about Brian's situation?" I asked out loud, looking around at the group.

"What situation?" Vince asked. Emma was now in his arms, and I couldn't help but notice the love he had for her. I looked at Deacon and saw the bothered look on his face. _He knows_, I thought.

"We need to make a mill in two months, or Brian's no more," Leon said, smirking at Vince. Leon never really cared for Brian, he could care less what happened to him.

"How the hell are we gonna do that?" Vince asked, eyebrow raised in amusement.

"Racing," I said, not able to hide the smile that appeared on my face. We hadn't been back on the scene much since that night against Deke, and I was itching to get back on the blacktop.

"We can't raise a million dollars on racing," Mia stated, her arms wrapped around Deacon's waist. I noticed the distant and sad look in O'Connor's eyes. _That's too bad man, you wasted too much time_, I thought to myself.

"What about bets?" the girl known as Katie suggested.

"What do you mean?" I asked, curious as to how that would help.

"Well, it's simple. You guys are like, the best, right?" she stated, oblivious to the understatement she just made. _More than the best,_ I corrected mentally. I nodded. "Well we get some punks who think they can race, and we place bets. Big bets. You win, you get the money from the bets, at the race."

"A collection plate?" Jesse asked quietly. I smiled, looking at him confused. He continued, "Well like for the after parties. Charge people for coming in," Jesse suggested, shrugging a bit.

"We could do that," I replied, smiling at his relieved look. "Anymore ideas?"

"What happens after you get your money Brian?" Vince asked, his arms over his chest. "What, you run away again? Are you using us?" Vince questioned, curious as to why Brian was really here. Vince did have a good point.

"No, I'm not gonna run. I'm gonna pack my shit up in Mexico, and find a place here in L.A. I just came back for some help and a little closure," he whispered the last part. I turned my glance on Mia, who shifted nervously under everyone's gaze.

Thankfully, at the awkward moment, the nurse returned to the room.

"Visiting hours are over. He'll be released at noon tomorrow," she spoke, a smile playing on her lips.

We nodded and she left again. No one moved, only sat in silence.

"So V, how 'bout I come pick you up and we'll go to breakfast?" Katie spoke, surprising us all. _But I thought she just..._

"Sounds like fun," Vince smiled brightly. Poor Vince, the lug had no clue about her.

"Alright guys, let's head out. Where you two staying?" I asked, instinct getting the best of me. I was always ready to take in the needy. Which was what landed us in hell in the first place.

"We were gonna rent out a motel room," Roman answered.

"No need, stay with us," I noticed the incredulous looks that Mia and Deacon were both shooting me, but I ignored them.

"You sure? I don't wanna cause any problems," O'Connor spoke, his tone directed to Deacon.

"Nonsense. It'll be fine. We have an extra room and sofa in the basement," I spoke, standing from the chair.

After everyone said their goodbyes to Vincent, we all departed to our homes. As Letty and I made our way to my Road Runner, she decided to finally speak.

"You think that was a good idea back there?" she asked, sliding into the passenger. I slid in after her, slamming my door.

"No, but hopefully they can find the closure they're looking for," I said as I sped out of the lot.


	15. Oblivion

**Sorry for the hiatus once more, but we are back in action. Please, read and review.**

**P.S. This is sorta just a filler until I can get it back on track.**

(Mia)

I tossed and turned in my bed for hours that night. I couldn't believe he showed up! After all this time he finally decides to come back. And for what? Help. Not that it matters now, but it just shows that he didn't come back for me. The thought saddened me, but it was reality now. I was back with Deke, and that was all that made me happy. But I couldn't deny the feeling I got when I looked into those gorgeous blue eyes again. _Quit it Mi_, I yelled at myself. _You have Deacon back and you aren't going to mess it up again._

After a few more battles with myself, I decided sleep was a lost cause. I stood from my bed, wrapping my blue robe around my nightgown. I crept down the hallway slowly hoping not to wake Dom, who was in the next room. I made it down the stairs, which managed not to squeak. I walked into the kitchen, deciding a cup of coffee would do me well.

"I don't know why they keep it so dark in here," I whispered out loud as I struggled to find a light in the dark. After running into everything, I finally located the switch on the wall. Flipping it up, I jumped ten feet out of my skin with fright. "What the hell are you doing?" I yelled at the beautiful blond, who stood in front of me, holding his chest.

"Me? You're the one who scared the shit out of me!" Brian yelled, nursing his cup of coffee.

"Why the hell are in the dark?" I asked, slowly walking over to the coffee pot.

"Couldn't sleep, you?" I didn't speak, only nodded. I poured me a mug of already-fixed coffee and began to leave the room.

"Well goodnight," I started out of the kitchen.

"Mia, wait!" Brian yelled, stopping me in my tracks. I turned to face him. "Can we talk?" he asked sheepishly.

"Now?" I asked. I looked at the clock on the stove. _3:34 a.m_. "It's kinda late Brian."

"Please. It wont be long," his eyes pleaded as he limped his way to the table that sat in the center of the kitchen. I sighed and sat on he far end of the table. We just sat there in silence, a frightening and compromising silence. "I'm sorry Mia," he finally spoke. "I'm truly sorry. I never meant to hurt you. Any of you."

"But you did Brian. You hurt us all. You used me. You broke my heart,' I wasn't letting him get off easy with this apology. "Why did you even ask me out? Why did you come onto me and make me fall in love with you? What, was it all apart of your job?"

"No, Mia. I told you. Everything I ever said I felt for you was real. I really liked you Mia. I was falling in love with you," Brian whispered, lowering his head. I squeezed my eyes shut as I took a drink of my coffee.

"Why didn't you come back?" I purposely ignored his claim. I didn't love Brian anymore. No matter how much my heart and body wanted me too, I didn't. He hesitated when he spoke.

"Because I knew this would happen," he stated. I looked at him with confusion. "I knew you would have moved on as soon as you guys got back. I didn't want to come back to you with a husband and kids," Brian spoke, which only angered me.

"I'm not some slut, Brian! I wanted for you for three years. I moped around this house, crying and bitching because I missed you. I wanted you to come back because I loved you Brian. I loved you," I could feel my throat burn with emotion as my eyes blurred with tears. I blinked them away. "The boys tried to find you for me. They were willing to put their hate and anger for you on the back burner for my happiness! And where were you? Out living the good life."

Brian looked in my eyes sadly, then fixed them on the wooden table.

"I'm sorry Mia. But I knew you were moved on and I wanted to move on too," I felt like my heart had been ripped out and chopped into pieces.

"No Brian, I didn't move on. I waited for you forever. No once did you call, or even write. Not only for me, but for the rest of the Team. You didn't care to call and see how Vince and Jesse were? The Kid missed you. He heard how you avenged his shooting and he wanted to thank you, face to face," by now, I could see the tears strolling down Brian's face.

"I should've come back, I know. But I'm back now and we can work things out. You can leave Deacon and we'll get our own place and we can work it out," my eyes teared up again at what Brian was asking. He wanted me to give up my happiness now and go back to how things were. This was what I wanted before, to have my own place with Brian and to love him. But I wasn't so sure now.

"Brian I can't do that," he looked at me with confusion. "I'm with Deacon now. I like him a lot. I met him at the races a few weeks back and he's turned out to be a really good guy. He makes me happy and his daughter adores me," I admitted to Brian, even thought I knew it would hurt him.

"But I made you happy. I love you Mia. I-I thought you loved me?" Brian was speaking quickly. I knew his emotion were taking over.

"That's right Brian. I _loved_ you. I don't love you anymore. Love doesn't always wait forever. I don't have forever Brian. I only have now, and Deke is my now. Who knows, maybe in the future, I'll wonder if I made a mistake. But as of right now, as of today, I'm falling for Deacon," I stated in a matter-of-fact tone. I had to be straight up with him, that's the only way to get to him.

After a few minutes of silence, watching his expressions changed from angry, to sad, to finally, defeated. Brian looked up from his mug.

"You're right Mia. I should've come back. I at least should've called, but I was too scared. Scared that you wouldn't want to hear from me. Scared you wouldn't want me anymore. I was just scared," he admitted, staring at me with his deep blue eyes. "But it was a mistake and I'm paying for it now. From what I can remember, Deke's a good guy. I know he'll grow on you like I did," Brian smiled softly, his red-rimmed eyes sparkling.

My stomach squeezed. I couldn't help but notice how mature he was acting on this situation. I smiled back and nodded, dumping my empty mug in the sink. Brian followed suit. We stood at the sink, staring at each other. Without thinking, I wrapped my arms around Brian's neck, hugging him tightly to me. His arms swallowed me in instantly. I could feel his hot breath on my ear, and it made me shiver.

"I always love you Mia Toretto. Always," he whispered, pulling away a bit to kiss my cheek. I could only smile as he limped his way back down the basement, where his room was located. I smiled on last time before I shut off the light and left the kitchen.

Just as I was roaming down the hall to my room, the door to Letty and Dom's room opened. Dom stepped out, clad in only boxers. His eyes weren't usually so clear when he woke, so it was obvious that he had been up for some time.

"How did it go?" he asked, concern in his chocolate eyes.

"Better than I expected. We're okay," I told him, nodding. I could tell by the look in his eyes that he wondered where we stood as a couple. "We're okay as friend, I mean," he smiled and pulled me to him, hugging me tightly.

"That's my girl."

Vince woke that next morning with sharp aches in his chest. Before he was fully awake, his hand gripped at his heart as he tried to sit up. Finally opening his eyes, he noticed that his nurse was intensely interested in something on her clipboard. She had a glint of sadness in her eyes as she scanned the paper.

"Nurse?" he called out to her, his voice strained and hoarse. She didn't look up. "Yo, Nurse!" he yelled a little louder, getting a response from the middle-aged woman.

"Oh Vincent, good to see you're awake. How are you feeling?" she asked, sitting her clipboard at the foot of his bed.

"I've been better. I'm hungry though," he said, his voice and his eyes hopeful. She caught this and smiled at him.

"I'll give you a shot of morphine, then I'll go get you breakfast," she stated, walking over to a sink where various syringes and medicine bottles were placed. She filled a syringe with some liquid, walking back over to Vince. She found the place in his arm were the IV had previously been, and injected him with the calming medicine. "You let that kick in and I'll be back," she smiled once more, leaving the room.

Vince waited a while before he noticed the clipboard the edge. Not one to care for privacy, he reached for it. His eyes scanned the paper.

"Poor kid," Vince whispered aloud as he read the paper. It was a paper from the nurse's daughter, Anna, expressing why she had become so depressed over the past few years. She explained that she was losing her friends she couldn't explain why she attracted to other girls and her parent's divorce was taking its toll on her.

As Vince was coming to the end, the door opened again, revealing the nurse pushing a cart into the room. On the car was a bowl of what Vince presumed was oatmeal, toast, and burn bacon. There was a biscuit and a glass of OJ next to it.

"I'm back Vince, and I know this might not-" she started with a smile as she entered the room. Vince stopped reading and looked up, slightly guilty. "What are you doing with that? Ever heard of privacy?" she snarled as she charged our to the bed, snatching the clipboard from Vince's hands.

"I-I'm sorry. I was-" Vince started, unsure of what to say. "Look, maybe you should just talk to her. Try to explain the divorce and talk to her about her sexuality. Don't' shut her out," Vince tried to advise, unable to figure out what he cared.

"I tired to talk to her, plenty times," the nurse gave in, flopping down on his bed. "I just don't understand. She doesn't come out and talk to me, she just keeps writing me these letters," she waved the paper effortlessly, her voice full of exhaustion and confusion.

"Get through to her. Maybe she's afraid to talk to you in person. The way this sounds, she's terrified of you" Vince couldn't understand why he wanted to help this woman connect with his daughter. Maybe it was the look his father had in his eyes yesterday morning. The look of happiness but also distraught. He missed his son too much and Vince had no idea.

The nurse looked away sadly. Vince had hurt her feelings.

"Oh ma'am I'm sorry. I didn't mean it that way. Its just, she seems like she has trouble talking to you because, I dunno, maybe you react in a way that hurts her.

"I think you may be right, Vincent. I'm gonna go call her right now," the nurse smiled, standing from my bed. "Thanks for the advice Vince. You're a good guy. Don't let anyone tell you any different," she smiled a bright smile, pushing the cart to him. She lifted the tray to him, asking if he was ready.

"No thanks, Martha, in a minute," he declined, finally glancing at her nametag. At that moment, there was a knock at the door as it was pushed open.

(Vince)

"Hey Vince," Katie said as she entered the room with flowers. I couldn't help feel that fuzzy feeling again in my stomach. _God she's so beautiful_, I thought to myself.

She was wearing a short jean shirt that shoved off her long, tan legs that seemed to go on for days. She wore two tank tops, one red, the other white and she wore red flip flops. Her gorgeous blond hair was cascading down over her shoulders and she wore the most amazing smile I had ever seen.

"Hey," was all I could manage. I guess Martha noticed the look I had on my face as I stared at Katie, for what she said next.

"She's a cutie Vince, be good to her," she winked and pushed the cart out of the room. I just shook my head.

"What's up?" I looked over at the clock. " I don't get discharged for another two hours."

"I know," she said with a smile as she sat the flowers on the table next to my bed then looked up at me. Catching her glance quickly, I moved over in the bed, making room for us both. She hesitant, which confused me.

"What?"

"There's something I have to tell you Vince," I sat up, trying to read her eyes. I had no idea what she would sat but could tell that it couldn't be good.

"Go on."

"I'm a lesbian," she said quickly, her shoulders shrugged high, then dropped back down just as fast. I blinked frivously unable to process what was just spoken to me.

"You're… a lesbian?" I wasn't sure If I had heard her correct. She nodded subtly, focusing her gaze elsewhere. "But-but I thought you liked me? I mean you acted like you did," _Maybe you just took her niceness the wrong way V._

"I do like you V. You seem like a really sweet guy. But there's a problem," she said, shifting her weight from leg to leg.

"What?" I asked, my tone slightly annoyed.

"We don't know each other. I mean, honestly, we just met yesterday. How am I supposed to know if I like you if we've only known each other for a day?" _she has a point V_. I only nodded.

"Ok, so get to know me."

Katie smiled, pushing her hands into her pockets. "Move over," she demanded as she climbed on my bed. She snuggled carefully against my chest and I wrapped my arm around her shoulder.

We laid in my bed for a while, learning new things about each other. I learned that Katie had come from Columbus, Ohio, where all of her friends and family still resided. She had an older brother, who she said was now probably graduation from college. Katie learned about my love for guitars. I told her how I always wanted to be a music teacher, but engines became a passion. Guitars were now my hobby.

Neither of us brought up previous love interactions or infatuations, but I was curious to find out how Katie had become a lesbian.

"So tell me Miss Katie Michelle Palmer, how is it that you came to be a lesbian?" I asked in a nonchalant tone.

Katie sighed with a smile. "Well Vince, that's a lot of history."

"I'm not going anywhere."

"Ok," she sat up, preparing to tell this story once again. "When I was thirteen, my mom sent me to boarding school because she caught me smoking the garage. I hated her for It, but I guess I deserved it."

"Oh, a bad girl huh?" Vince interrupted his voice laughing.

"Shut up and let me finish," Katie laughed. "So I went to this school somewhere in Boston, you know, far away from any friends. When I got there, I literally felt sick to my stomach. I hated it. After a few weeks, I started to make friends with this girl I was rooming with, Jessica Tacky. Man, she was something. Rebellious, loud, charming, loved by everyone. Real sweetheart," Katie ranted, her smiled widening with each word.

"Let me guess, she turned you gay?" I asked, her story sounding oh-so-cliché.

"No, her baby sister did, Gloria," we both laughed. "Her sister was the complete opposite. She was quiet and sort of a loner. Everyone knew she was gay though, rumors went around that she shacked up with a few of the girls at the school. Well she roomed with me and her sister, and her and I would stay up late just talking and joking around. After a few months hanging out with her at an all-girl school, I guess you could say she kinda…rubbed off on me."

"Oh I just bet she did," I said sarcastically, unable to hold in the laugh. We both burst out in laughter, which was cut short by my doctor.

"Well, Nurse Martha told me you were up. You look like you're doing better. How's your chest?" he asked as he scribbled down something on his clipboard.

"Could be better," I answered, Katie and I both trying to sit up.

"Well I have something to help that. I'm going to prescribe you some medicine that'll help kill the pain. Now Vince, we have to focus on your weight. Though your body may seem very fit, it's not. You'll need to go on a diet and exercise daily. Also, you'll need to lower the amount of alcohol you consume. You're lucky your liver hasn't shribbled up like a mushroom." I wanted to give this doctor a piece of my mind for the way he was talking to me, but I decided against it.

"Yeah, whatever, can I go?" I asked, sick and tired of being stuck in this bed.

"Feel free to. Just remember what I said. You're paperwork will be up front. Be careful Vince," the doctor said before leaving my room. I looked over at Katie, who had a smug look of happiness and contentment on her face. I smiled at her, her beautiful blue eyes hypnotizing me.

"So do you like me now?" I asked with a goofy smile.

She laughed then rolled her eyes. "Let's get you out of here."


	16. Game Plan

**  
AHHH!!!! I'm sorry for the hiatus. That was two freaking months! But my computer has been down for a while. I just got it back a few days ago and now I'm ready to continue with my story. Sorry for the wait, Thanks for the reviews.**  
--

After changing and gathering his paperwork from the front desk, Vince and Katie left the hospital. He carefully sat himself in the front seat of Katie's Dodge Stratus, for any sudden movement sent a sharp pain through his chest. Katie jumped in the front seat and made her way out of the lot.

"So where do you wanna eat?" Katie asked, driving down the road.

"McDonalds?" Vince asked hopeful.

"Nope, we're gonna work on that weight. How about this vegetarian place I know?" Katie smiled at the horrified look Vince had on his face. "Veggie food it is."

That morning, all the Team gathered in the kitchen for breakfast, which Mia already had started. Letty, Leon, and Jesse were first to make it to the kitchen. Letty and Leon both grabbed a cup of coffee, while Jesse sat smoking a cigarette. Brian and Rome were the next to come up, Roman yelling at the back of Brian's head.

"You don't think O'Connor! That's what got us in this situation in the first place!" Rome yelled, Brian clearly ignoring him as he made his way to the table.

"Yo bro, will you shut it? Too early in the morning for that shit," Letty grumbled, holding her head in her hands. Rome didn't speak anymore, which surprised Brian.

"Thanks," Brian whispered to Letty, who only grunted in reply. Mia, who stood at the stove, turned around for her eyes to be met with Brian's. "Hey," he said plainly.

"Morning. Morning Roman," she said, turning her attention to the angered friend

"Sup girl," was all Rome said.

The upstairs shower was finally turned off, and about ten minutes later, Dominic made his way into the kitchen. By then, Mia was handing out plates with food on them.

"Morning Sunshines," he said sarcastically, noticing how lag everyone looked. He noticed how foggy it looked in the kitchen, and immediately looked to Jesse.

"Jess, what'd I tell you about smoking in the kitchen?" he asked with a slight smirk.

Before speaking, Jesse rose to his feet. He walked over to the sink and reached up for the windows behind the sink. He shoved them both open and turned around back for his seat.

"Everyone get showered and changed and meet up at the garage. I think I got an idea how to help O'Connor," he said, grabbing his plate to go, kissing Mia's cheek, and heading out the house.

(Deacon)

"Emma, wake up baby," I shook my daughter, who lied asleep next to me. "Come on, let's get you a shower. We're gonna go see the Team," I told her. Wasting no time, she jumped up and ran out of the room. 

Mia called me earlier and told me to meet her at the Team's garage. I was excited to see what it'd be like, for I'd heard a lot about it, but never seen it. I was already showered and dressed, wearing old jeans and a wife beater. I was just slipping on a t-shirt when Emma came back out her room.

"Ready," she said, standing in her favorite jeans and yellow Spongebob t-shirt. I only smiled, grabbing my keys from the table.

Before making our way to the directions Mia gave me, I had to make a stop somewhere else. Pulling up at Lou's home, I noticed his Oldsmobile was still parked in the driveway.

"Look Em, I need you to go in there and go straight to your room. Don't come out until I tell you too. I gotta have a talk with Uncle Lou," I told her. She nodded and we got out the car.

I knocked on the door harder than usual. Suddenly, the door flew open, revealing a ruffled Lou shoving his arms in his leather jacket.

"Late for work?" I asked sarcastically.

"Going to work?" he returned in the same tone. I knew he had been taking notice that I was spending more time with the Team than at work, where my real family was. I didn't think he'd be hostile about it though.

"We need to talk," I stated firmly, a way to show him that I wasn't in the mood for games. He nodded, stepping back into the house. He walked to the fridge, while I watched Emma run to her room. He came back with two beers, tossing one to me as he sat down.

"What's up?"

"Why didn't you bother telling me Vince was your son?" his eyes budged out of his head at his stared at me. I got your attention now.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he played dumb, looking away.

"Don't bullshit me Lou. Be honest."

He stayed silent for a few moments. Then with an exasperated sigh, he spoke. "I didn't think he would show up. Over a decade, I wasn't expecting him to show up," he broke down soon after. I ran to his side, allowing him to cry on my chest. His body racked with sobs as he rambled about his lost child. "He's grown up so much Deke. I've missed so much of his life," I know it was selfish of me, but I felt immensely jealous about this. This man raised me since I was a teenager, he was the father I never had. He had always called me his son and took care of me like I was blood. Vince missed out, his fault. It was like Vince was trying to take away everything that I have.

"Hey Old Man, it's all right. You did what you could for Vince," I tried to soothe his tears by rubbing his back.

"Yeah, but it wasn't enough," he said, lifting himself from my chest. He wiped his tears and took a drink of his beer. "I gotta get to work. I'm already late," he said, standing from the couch. I didn't stop him as he grabbed his keys and walked out the door.

"Emma, lets go."

(Dom)

When I pulled up to the garage, Vince and Katie were getting out of her car. I noticed how close the two seemed and couldn't help but wonder the status of their friendship. They were flirting obviously, and by the happiness beaming from Vince's eyes, I couldn't dare interrupt. Instead, I walked to the front of the garage, unlocking garage door, pushing it upward. We all entered, waiting for the rest of the Team to show up.

"So what's on the agenda today Dom?" Vince asked, him and Katie both leaning against an old car frame.

"We figure out how to make a million dollars within the next two months. Katie, can you call Mia and tell her to get the guys down here?" I asked, hoping to talk to Vince alone. Vince gave her the number, and smiled when she kissed his cheek when she left. "V, come with me."

I led him to the back where the lockers were. I stripped off my white t-shirt and tossed it in the locker. I stepped out of my jeans and kicked them in the locker. Vince came around, leaning on the locker next to mine.

"So what's the deal with you and Katie?" I asked.

"No deal," he said simply, his face flushed. You could tell he was ready to explode with happiness like a teenage girl. I couldn't help but laugh.

"Honestly V, you two an item?"

"A real gentleman doesn't kiss and tell," he said in a fake British accent. I rolled my eyes and shut my locker, tying the arms to my coveralls around my waist.

Walking back out into the front workroom, Katie was waiting up against a BMW that was awaiting attention. As Vince walked back over to his new infatuation, I just shook my head. A few minutes later, the rest of the team began showing up. Jesse and Leon were the first to enter the garage, both giving me a nod of acknowledgment before walking over to Vince.

"How you feelin' Fatty?" Jesse used his affectionate nickname for Vince.

"Better than you're gonna be in a minute," he scoffed, before catching his younger friend in a headlock. He slapped hands with Leon, pulling him in a manly hug.

"Good to see you home, brother," Leon said, patting Vince's back.

Within the next twenty minutes, the rest of the Team (minus Deke and Emma) began showing up. They each acknowledged Vince's return, showing their happiness. I gave them half an hour to get settled in before discussing what they came for.

"Alright everyone, gather in," my deep baritone voice (which I inherited from my father) rumbled in the garage. The Team gathered around an Oldsmobile that had been in the shop for a week. "We need to figure out how we're gonna make this money. We only have two months."

The Team stayed silent for a bit, all thinking of schemes on how to raise a million dollars in two months. To the majority of them, the concept seemed almost impossible. If I knew my Team as well as I thought, they were thinking something illegal, and I had already ruled that non-optional. As we waited, the engine that could only belong to the Hatchback came in earshot. I instantly looked over to Mia, who had a look of relief on her face. Probably because of Brian. He had been gawking over her like a sad puppy ever since they arrived. _Poor guy_, I thought, _can't even let go._

Sure enough, Deacon and Emma exited the black car when it came to a halt. Emma ran in, bouncing over to Vince and Katie. Deacon came in, his gaze fixed on Vince. Mia approached him, not even noticing his anger towards Vince. I watched Brian stare with pain and regret in his eyes as Mia and Deacon shared a passionate kiss and hug. Feeling bad for him, I ended the smooch-fest.

"Alright, you two, enough. Anyways, I got an idea," everyone focused again on the task at hand. "Jesse and Leon, you two get to Hector and get him to set up All-Out Fridays. Starting this Friday, each week there will be five races, four of them will be 5G buy ins. The last one, a 10G buy in and slips for whoever's feeling lucky," I knew what I was declaring was ridiculous, but my Team didn't think so. As a matter of fact, they all had greedy, but happy looks on their faces. Jesse and Leon bounced out of the garage to their cars, speeding off to find Hector to spread the word.

"Dom, that's only $120,000 this month. What about the rest?" Letty asked the obvious question on everyone's mind.

"Katie you race?" I ignored her question.

"God no, she's a model," Vince laughed. She smacked his arm.

"Ex-model, got too boring. But no, I don't race."

"So what _do_ you do, then?" Letty asked, as if doing anything that doesn't involve racing seemed absurb.

"Substitute teach at the elementary school," she smiled, catching on to Letty's tone.

"Anyways, think you can organize some bets? And I mean, big bets?"

"Yeah, Dom, I can do that," I ignored the questioning look Letty gave me. _Oh lay off it Let._

"Brian, you got any good ideas? You know this is for you."

"While we're here, Rome and I are gonna get odd jobs. As for races, Rome's gonna do some solo racing on other nights."

"Why don't we charge at the afterparty?" I mean, everyone in LA comes, that's a lot of money right there," Vince suggested, which wasn't bad for a non-thinker.

"Yeah, they're gonna hate it though," I mumbled to myself. "Alright, we'll have to see how that does for the first night. Let's get to work."


	17. Deep Pockets

**Thanks for the reviews. I know it took me a few days to get this up, sorry for that. But here it is, please read and review.**

* * *

(Deacon)

I sat in the back of the shop, Emma on my lap, as we watched the workers of DT Automechanics work. I offered many times to help with the cars, but Mia refused to let me do any work, even from the Toretto's café. With my male instincts, I wanted to disobey her and go right to work under a car, but anytime I did anything remotely close to working, Jesse and Leon were hounding me. So I relaxed with my daughter, who for once didn't want to have Vince's attention. She had her head in my lap, twirling her car around in the air as if it were on so flying expedition.

"Emma, you still love Daddy don't you?" I asked her. I knew the answer, but it'd feel nice to hear it.

"Yesh Daddy, I still love you. Why?" her blue eyes looked into mine curiously.

"Sometimes Daddy thinks you love Vince more than him." 

"But Daddy, I love you more. You take care of me. You keep the Boogey Man away at night," I smiled instinctively, kissing her forehead.

On cue, Jesse opened the door to his 'office' and wheeled over to us in his chair.

"Hey Emma. I just pulled up this sweet RC. It looks really cool, wanna come see?" he coaxed her, holding out his hand. She took it and allowed him to pull her on his lap. She smiled goofy and waved goodbye to me. I waved back, unable to resist the tears that came to my eyes. _You're my daughter,_ I kept telling myself.

"Deacon, you all right? You look upset," Dom asked, reaching for a ratchet that sat on a work bench close to me.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Bored out of my mind," I lied, partially. I was bored out of my mind.

"Why don't you take Letty and go get lunch?" Dom offered, nodding to the seemingly agitated woman with her eyes focused on a turbo. I raised an eyebrow at him, asking if that was a very good idea. "Trust me, she looks evil, but she's all bark, no bite. Go ahead," I shrugged and stood, walking over to Letty.

"Take a ride with me," was all I asked. She shrugged, but seemed happy to be away from the stubborn turbo.

"And Deke, make sure you get something healthy for Vince," Dom said loud enough for Vince to hear, who looked pained to the bone. Letty laughed, shaking her head.

"That's awful," she smiled as she opened the door to my car. I nodded to Dom, then followed Letty to my car. I backed it out, then sped down the street.

It was an awkward situation, being alone in a car with Letty. Over the few months that I've known the Team, I haven't had much alone time with Letty. She seemed to be most calm around Jesse or Leon, and almost human-like around Dom. I think I've seen her smile a total of five or six times. She seemed like a pretty okay girl, I guess.

"You all right, man?" she asked, looking out the corner of her eye at me. I couldn't help it when my face felt flushed.

"Yeah, fine, why?" I asked, confused as to why I felt intimidated under her gaze.

"You seem a little... bothered," she said with a smirk, turning her gaze back out the window.

"Fine. I'm fine," I repeated, to reassure myself that I wasn't lying. "So what's the deal with you and Dominic? Y'all plan on getting married or what?" She shifted uncomfortably in her seat; I had caught her off guard.

"Uh ... not exactly. We're kinda in an .. open relationship," she replied, sarcasm apparent.

"How so?"

"He can't stand to stop his wandering eyes and hands," she replied, her tone emotionless. I suddenly felt bad for Letty. You could tell she's gone through plenty of rough shit in her life, but it doesn't seem like Dom's making things better. "After so long, I just kinda got used to it."

"Yeah, but it doesn't mean that you have to," she stared at me with a sense of hope and relief in her eyes as we pulled up to _Toretto's_. The gaze was quickly broken as tears sprang to her eyes. Just as soon as they appeared, they were gone. She gave me one last smirk before she stepped out.

"How you livin' girl?" she yelled to Mia, running past her to a cooler. I only shook my head as I sat at the counter, greeting my lover with a kiss.

* * *

Brian sat at the kitchen table, holding a knapsack, waiting for Rome so they could go. Even if Brian was in a complete leg cast and still had fractured ribs, he got dressed quicker than Roman. They were going downtown, looking for some solo races. Brian knew he was running out of time, and being that it was only the middle of the week, Brian knew he couldn't rely solely on the races. He had to make a little extra on the side, like Dom used to do.

"Roman, let's go, man!" Brian yelled for the third time, wobbling to his feet. He leaned on his crutches for support and limped over to the stairs.

"Shut up Bri! I'm coming," his friend yelled back, stomping his way up the stairs. He tossed his green flannel sleeveless top over his muscular torso, not bothering with buttoning it.

They walked into the living room, where the Team was gathered, watching an action flick. Deacon was sitting on the floor, Mia's head in his lap. Emma had fallen asleep hours earlier, and was sleeping in the back den room. As they walked across the room, everyone focused their eyes on them. Leon nearly had to hold Jesse down, to keep him from running off with the newcomers to race.

"Where you going?" Dom asked, his authoritarian voice coming into play. Roman's instinct told him to pounce on Dom for his tone, but he learned never to disrespect someone offering him a home-cooked meal and a bed.

"Racing. Do we have a curfew?" Brian asked, making Roman smirk. _Maybe you aren't such a pussy after all_, he thought. By the scornful look Dom gave him, Brian decided to retract his statement. "Whatever. We're going racing, Jess, wanna go?" Brian offered, knowing the Kid couldn't resist.

"We don't go racing without the whole Team," he said, his words surprising the whole room. He knew that after the stunt he pulled at Race Wars, he was never leaving the Team's sight.

"I'm not in the Team. C'mon, I'll show you some hot spots," Deacon stood, placing a sleeping Mia's head in the floor.

Brian was stunned by Deacon. Maybe he wasn't such a bad guy. He asked Katie to watch Emma, then followed the men out the door. He walked down to his black Civic Hatchback and drove down the road, the Fairlady in tow. They drove for twenty minutes, tearing up L.A after dark. When Deacon reached two large mansions, he pulled in between the two houses. He got out and walked to the Fairlady parked behind him.

"What are we doing in the suburbs? I guarantee there's no racers around here," Rome said from inside the car. He was skeptical of Deacon and didn't know what he was up too.

"Between those two houses are a couple of rich racer wannabes. They always come to the warehouses and try to get in a race, but Hector never let 'em. They said when we want some real competition, to come find them," Brian couldn't help but smirk at Deacon. He was a clever man.

"They got deep pockets?," Brian asked, a wide smile on his lips.

"As deep as they get. Let's go," Deacon ran back to his car, pulling it in between the two mansions.

Behind the houses were two lanes, that looked like they stretched for about two miles. Behind the lanes was the ocean, which looked beautiful with the full moon shining above it. Parked behind one of the mansions were a group of guys who looked fresh out of high school. They were leaning against their cars: a Viper, a Corvette, a Ferrari, a Range Rover, and a new BMW. They were dressed as Brian presumed; polo shirts, khaki pants,spiked hair. There were three blond girls standing with the guys, obviously flirting.

Roman and Deacon parked their cars and got out, Brian staying inside. No use in injuring himself further. Deacon and Roman approached the boys, silencing the group.

"Well, well, look who it is. Mr. Friday Night himself. What are you doing on this side of town?" one of the boys spoke.

"Nice to see you too, Derek. I got a guy who wants to race and he can't wait 'til Friday. He's fresh with racing and he wants some big competition to start off with," Deacon lied, Roman following along.

Derek lit up like a light bulb. "Too easy," Brian spoke to himself.

"Ok. Hope you got money, _homeboy_, because we don't race for free," Derek spoke, making his friends laugh.

At that instant, Roman's jaw clenched, biting back words to say. "Don't do it Ro. Just get the money," Brian spoke again.

"I got money, _homeboy_," Rome emphasized the word just as much, holding up the knapsack. He unzipped it, showing it to the kid. "20Gs, what do you say?"

"That's pocket change to us," another boy yelled.

"He's right. We'll throw in another ten grand. We'll start here, hit the docks, and come back," Derek pointed, which looked about half a mile away. Derek pulled a thick roll of cash out, showing it to Deacon before tossing it on the hood of the Hatchback. Brian couldn't help but stare at it. Roman emptied the knapsack on the hood, money spilling onto it.

"Let's race," Derek smirked as his friends cheered him on. Roman ran to the Fairlady, while Derek jumped in his Viper.

* * *

"Now Roman, don't get cocky. That Viper could probably smoke you, depending on how the kid drives," Brian spoke as Roman revved the engine to the Fairlady. Deacon stood in front of the two cars, his hands in the air.

"Brian, please shut your mouth!" Roman yelled as he focused on Deacon's hands. He gripped the steering wheel with one hand, the other on the gear.

As Deacon dropped his hands, both cars were off in an instant. Derek had taken a comfortable lead, catching Roman by surprise. He shifted gears, dropping his foot hard on the pedal. He gained speed, closing the gap between him and the Viper. He shifted gears again, bringing his car nose to nose with the Viper. He looked over at Derek, pearly whites shining. He nodded at Derek, who looked as if he was about to have a heart attack. He grunted, pushing the Viper further up the strip.

"Go get him!" Brian yelled, which fired Rome up even more. He glanced at the NOS bar, it was almost full. He shifted, the pedal nearly grinding against the floorboard.

"C'mon Roman, let's go!" Deacon yelled from the starting line. He had a gut feeling that things weren't going as planned.

Roman was right on the bumped of the Viper, and the docks were coming into view. He shifted gears, the Fairlady pushing up to 115 mph. The Viper was going at least 120 mph and Derek was scared for his life. He had never driven the Viper that fast. The docks were coming up, he was going to win. He sped up, ready to make the scariest U-turn of his life. He looked in his rear view, the Fairlady was nearly scraping his bumper.

"Hey watch the paint," he yelled, a sudden coarse of confidence straining through his veins. He grabbed the clutch, spinning the wheel as far as it would go, the Viper spinning out. Roman copied Derek's actions, spinning the Fairlady, barely hitting a building. Brian grabbed 'Oh Shit' handle as his body slammed against the door.

Normally, Brian would've bitched at Rome's crazy driving, instead he said, "Roman, haul ass! Go!" Rome sped up, nearing the front of the Viper. He turned outward, then spun the car around, driving backwards towards the finish line.

"What the hell are you doing Roman?!" Brian yelled, quickly glancing behind them to make sure they wouldn't crash.

"Showing this boy how to drive, now shut up!" he screamed, staring into the frightened eyes of Derek.

"What are you doing, man?!" Derek yelled, slowing the Viper in fear that he would crash head on. Rome flipped him on, and in one swift movement, he turned the car around, speeding towards the starting line again.

"Nice doing business with you," Deacon winked at the others, who stood with gaping mouths.

The Fairlady slowed as it crossed the starting line again. Roman got out, smiling at the others while slapping hands with Deacon. Derek finally arrived, angrily stepping out of his car, slamming the door behind him.

"You cheated, you bastard!" Derek got in Roman's face, clearly not knowing the size of the beast in front of him.

"Slow yo roll, homeboy," Rome yelled, pushing the boy a few feet away.

Deacon stepped in front of the two, ending it before Roman would end up in handcuffs. "Ease up man, he's just a kid."

He turned to Derek. "Hey, you lost, fair and square. When you learn how to drive, you know where to find us. Now be a man and shake hands," Deacon yelled, Derek still fuming. Derek hesitated, then did as he was told, giving Roman a firm grasp.

Brian sat at the car, watching in amazement. Deacon was able to tame Roman? Was he the poster boy for Showmanship? _She found her perfect guy._

Deacon gathered the money, placing it all in the knapsack. He walked to the Fairlady as Roman did, and tossed it in the driver-side window.

"Consider that a favor, you owe me," Deacon's eyes had a fire and a glare of warning. Brian nodded, holding Deacon's gaze.

* * *

**Next chapter, All-Out Fridays begin! Read&Review.**


	18. AllOut Pt1

Sorry for the wait. Thanks for the reviews.

* * *

_Friday Night_

"Mia, let's go!" Dom yelled from the bottom of the stairs. "Girls, you know how they are," he smiled as he passed Deacon, flopping down on the recliner. Letty glared at Dom, receiving an apologetic kiss in return.

It was finally race night in L.A. The news spread fast about All-Out Fridays, and needless to say, the Team was pumped. Mia took an extra hour to get ready, and Jesse took an extra hour to look over everyone's cars. Not that they couldn't do it themselves, but Jesse had a quicker eye for errors. Deacon was waiting with the rest of the men, Katie, and Letty in the living room. He left Emma with Lou for the night, since he didn't want to have to look over her the whole night. The Team was only ten minutes late, but they knew if Mia didn't get moving, they'd end up hours late.

Finally, Mia came down the stairs, Deacon's eyes immediately following the sounds of her heels. Upon seeing the lustful look in Deacon's eyes, Mia added an extra sway in her hips as she sauntered down the stairs. She was wearing a short denim shorts, which showed off her tan, long legs. She had on an off-the-shoulders aqua-blue shirt that showed much cleavage. And to top it off: five inch aqua-blue open-toed heels. Her hair was pinned around her head and clipped with a blue barrette.

"Damn Mia. You sure are a gorgeous sight," Deacon spoke, his southern accent thick and present. Mia wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him lightly.

"Mia Isabelle Toretto!" Dom's grave voice thundered through the house. "What do you think you're wearing? Where are the rest of those shorts?" he yelled, his authoritarian tone appearing.

"Oh Dom relax. I'm not fifteen anymore. And plus, I look cute," she smiled, sticking her tongue out at him.

"Whatever. Let's go."

The Team, including Roman, Brian, Katie and Deacon all piled on the lawn, waiting for the next instructions.

"What's the order?" Vince asked, his arm proudly around Katie's waist.

"I'll lead us out. Vince, you and Katie and Letty behind me, Deacon, you and Mia and Jesse behind them, and Brian and Roman and Leon at the back. All right, let's go race."

* * *

(Deacon)

Tonight was like a dream. Mia and I sat in a comfortable silence as we made the drive to the warehouses. I was the luckiest man at the moment. I had a beautiful Italian goddess sitting in my passenger seat, and I was driving one of the most incredible cars ever. God has blessed me.

As we pulled down the aisle of supped up cars, my adrenaline began pumping. I tried to keep my cool, not wanting to let the crowd's cheering pump my confidence up too high. Lou always told me overconfidence didn't win a race, but I had to admit, this was pretty exciting.

The cars in front of me finally stopped. I could feel my heart beating harder with every second. I looked over at Mia, who had the same expression on her face; anticipation.

"You ready for this?" I asked her, a smile growing on my face.

"You know it," she replied, opening the door to the Mustang. I followed her actions, the sound of the cheers nearly bursting my eardrums.

I looked throughout the Team for their responses. Looking back at Leon, he only nodded, a goofy grin on his face. Roman was talking to Brian, who seemed to be focused more on the cars than him. I turned, glancing at the people in front of me. Vince was proudly smiling at everyone, not taking his arm from around Katie; Jesse was nearly hopping up and down as he glanced over at Letty. She, however, had a different look in her eyes. Not one of happiness, but of anger and regret. Her gaze seemed to focus more on the girls wrapped up in Dom's arms then the actual racegoers. 

You could tell by the look on a person's felt just how proud they were. Their eyes seemed to gleam a little more, their smiles a little wider. They even stood a little taller, with confidence and unconditional love in their orbit Dom had that very orbit, that aura as he looked throughout his team. You could tell how deeply he cared for these people who've dedicated their lives to him and his lifestyle.

"Cruz, good to see you back man!" I turned to face the voice that came from behind me. It was my old racing buddy, Joseph Douglas. He was a mediocre racer, but he was one helluva mechanic.

I walked over to him, shaking hugs and pulling him into a hug.

"How you doing bud?" I asked, taking a good look at him. He still looked the same; buzz cut hair, pale blue eyes, and about 130 pounds soaking wet. He never wore clothes his size and the glasses that framed his eyes were slightly thick.

"I've been good. Been doing some work in Long Beach and I did some jobs in Pasadena. Just been on the move, ya know. What about you? I see you're rolling Toretto's crew. What's that, you working for him?" he asked, his eyes skeptical.

"Nah man, you know I work with Lou. You know the sibling don't you? Mia?" he nodded, his mouth turning to a smirk. "Yeah, we've been seeing each other for a while. And I'm racing for Dom for a bit, you know, earn a little cash."

I talked to Joe for a few more minutes, until his heavy New York accent started to annoy me. I sneaked away to catch up with the Team, finding Katie on my way.

"Help me!" she whined.

"What is it?"

"I need to get the bidding started, but no one will listen to me now that Dominic's here," I gave her a stern look, "and you. Help me please?" she begged. I squinted playfully at her as I grabbed her hand, pulling her through the crowd with me.

Finding Hector on top of a junked car, I jumped up with him, grabbing the megaphone out of his hands.

"All right, listen up. I know you heard about the five races we have tonight, but also we're gonna open some betting. If your not loaded, don't enter the bets. High wages people. To place your wager, talk to this beautiful young lady right here," I could tell by the hungry look in some of these guys' eyes, this night would only end in trouble. "And don't get any goofy ideas 'cause my boy Vince here is gonna be keeping a close eye on her."

Hector snatched the megaphone playfully, pressing the button on it.

"Now that that's settled, the races will start in a few minutes. Don't forget, 5G buy-in people!"

Dominic and Vince approached me, Vince a wad of cash in his hand.

"What's up bro?" Vince said, not looking up from counting his money. I bumped fists with him and Dominic.

"You getting in this one?" I asked V, who looked up at me temporarily.

"Yeah, decided I'd start the night off the right way," he smiled cockily.

"C'mon, let's go watch."

* * *

(Letty)

My body felt sore as I leaned against my car, stuck in the same position for almost twenty minutes. My arms and legs were crossed, my brows were knitted tightly together, and my jaw had been clenched for about five minutes straight. Staring at Dominic nearly made me sick. He had two blond bimbo's hanging off his arms, and had slimiest look of lust in his eyes.

_Typical Dominic_, I thought to myself. Always concerned about his reputation and his image, and not anyone's feelings. But this just wasn't about racing. Dom had become so distant lately that sometimes I forgot we were even a couple. That powerful fire that used to burn between us was now burned out. When I used to look into his eyes, I'd see love and passion and desire, but I saw nothing now. They were empty, as if he didn't have a care or responsibility in the world.

Things started to come falling down about a month ago. It started with lies. He lied about everything: where he was going, who he was with, what he did when he wasn't at the shop. At first, I didn't think anything of it. Typical Dominic once again. But then, that's when everything else started to change. He flirted carelessly in front of me, even going as far as giving his cell phone number away. We were no longer making love, only fucking. No more late-night talks alone, only fights. No more sweet talk, or cuddling, or bubble baths. All the things I hated before I met Dominic were the things I couldn't live without now. Even though they wouldn't dare speak about it, everyone's noticed the change in Dom and I. There wasn't a love there anymore, and I think everyone saw it coming.

I didn't realize I was crying until the cool breeze from the wind sent a shiver over my body. I quickly wiped it away and turned on my heels, heading for my car. I slid in my car coolly, hoping I didn't make my exit noticeable. I started my car, the mean growl it gave made me shiver. I blasted my rap music, ready to head to the first race area. Before I could reverse, my passenger side door flew open.

"Excuse me?" I said before the person made their face seen.

"Can I catch a ride? Brian's too caught up with Hector," Roman asked, his deep brown eyes pleading. I shrugged lazily, reversing from the middle and making my way for the race.

The silence was awkward, but much needed. Since Brian and Roman arrived, I haven't been alone with either of them for longer than ten seconds. Besides the fact that he talked too much and he ate a lot, Roman wasn't half bad. He was very easy on the eyes and had gorgeous teeth. It was something about a man with tattoos all over his body that just...

"Hey girl, you all right?" I blinked rapidly, wondering if I had forgotten that I was driving. Thankfully, we were nearing the race site.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Why?" I asked, happy that we were parking.

"Is it always like that?" he asked, pointing to Dom, who was helping one of the blonde's out of his car.

"Unfortunately so," I said, my voice less than pleased.

"What a fool. You sure are a beautiful woman," he flashed his pearly whites one last time before getting out the car. I couldn't fight the smile that came to my face. I'd have to find out more about this Roman.

* * *

The four cars were lined up at the line, waiting for Leon's OK. In the first lineup, it was: Vince in his Galant, Tyrone from Edwin's crew in a '00 Cavalier, Mico from Hector's crew in a Honda Prelude, and Ky in a Mazda 6. He's from a new but promising Asian crew, led by Raen.

Vince sat in his car, blasting his rock music that was currently playing a guitar solo. Vince rocked along with the guitar as he turned on his NOS tanks. He strapped himself in his harness and put on his lucky shades. No one ever knew why he wore them, and they didn't ask why they were lucky.

"All right, we're good to roll. Let's roll," Leon said over the walkie-talkie.

Hector moved back up to the junked car, holding his arms up in the air. Within seconds, they were down, and the cars were off. Ky took an easy lead, his Mazda 6 jumping ahead of all the others. Followed closely was Tyrone, then Vince, then Mico. The Team didn't freak, they knew how Vince raced. He liked to get behind a little, to give his car some time adjust to the mood of the race. In split seconds, Vince would end up ahead as always, crossing the line first. And just as expecting, ten seconds later, he crossed the line half a car's length in front of Ky. He pulled the car back to the starting line, collecting his money from Hector, a total of twenty grand.

"Good job V. You always scare me when you take off in third," Jesse smiled, checking Vince's engine to make sure everything was fine. It was his procedure every week, and no one objected.

"Next race...five minutes..." Hector announced.

Carrying his money over to Dom, Vince noticed that Dom didn't seem interested nor did he seem happy.

"What is it Dom?" Dom grabbed Vince's head, turning it and pointing to Letty and Roman, who were leaning against her car. They were laughing and talking and looked to be flirting. "Oh shit, he's hitting on Letty, dawg," Leon stated the obvious, coming out of nowhere. Vince smacked him upside his head for his comment.

Dom began strolling over to two, anger rising with every step.

"Dom, c'mon bro we gotta finish this night before the cops come," Leon tried to stop him, but it was no use.

When he reached Letty and Roman, he stood in front of them, dark eyes glaring. He crossed his arms cockily, staring a hole in Letty's face. She pretended as if she didn't notice him until Roman nodded to him.

"What?" she asked, eyebrow cocked. She hated when Dom had that look in his eyes. Like he wanted to kill someone with his bare hands.

"What are you doing?" he asked quietly, his tone freakishly low.

"Uh, I'm talking Dominic. Why?" she replied, sarcasm spilling from her lips. Without speaking, he grabbed her elbow, almost dragging her away from Roman. Roman stood up straight, ready to react if he needed too.

Dom drug Letty to a private corner out of ear shot of everyone else.

"What the _fuck _are you doing Leticia?" he growled at her.

"The same thing you are Dominic, whatever the fuck I want too," she yelled back, standing toe-to-toe to Dominic. He knew she was the only person who wouldn't budge if he said jump, and that pissed him off even more.

"What is that supposed to mean? Whatever I want?"

"Come off it Dom, you know what I'm talking about. Lately, you've acted like you don't even know me. And here, you've made it pretty damn clear that we're not together, so why are you acting like this?"

"Letty you know I have a rep-"

"Bullshit Dominic!" People were starting to stare at the two, and Letty had to smile on the inside. She knew he hated being humiliated in front of his '"fans". "This is about your fucking reputation! It never has been! It's the fact that you can't keep your dick in your pants long enough to stay faithful," Letty knew that was a low-blow, and by the embarrassed look on Dom's face, she knew it hit hard.

"We'll talk about this when we get home," his tone was so low that she barely made out his words.

"If I go home," she mumbled to his back. He stopped only momentarily before his started his stalk back to Hector.

* * *

Letty walked back over to her car, where Vince and Leon were still standing. She hadn't noticed Roman walking over to Brian while fighting with Dom.

"Letty, what were you thinking?" Vince asked, as she leaned angrily against her car. She looked down at the bruise that was forming around her elbow and shook her head. She was fed up with Dom.

"I was thinking, 'hey, it'd be nice to have a conversation with someone without "fuck you" being every third statement'," she replied sarcastically, fiddling with her keys that were hooked on a belt loop on her leather skirt.

Vince and Leon both looked away, not wanting to admit that she was right. They hated the way Dom treated her, but they wouldn't dare go against their leader. Vince looked at the bruise on Letty's elbow, then into her dark brown eyes. She was hurt, and he knew it. She wanted freedom, and he could tell. Without thinking, Vince stepped towards Letty, pulling her into his arms. He held her close to him as she began to cry. For her being so small in Vince's arms, no one could tell she was finally breaking down. Vince brushed her hair down with his hands, trying to shush her cries. Vince looked around, his eyes landing on Dominic. He was with the same blond from earlier, his arm snuggly around her shoulder. As if he could feel Vince's angry eyes on him, Dom looked up.

At that moment, Vince could feel their bond of friendship cracking. He wanted so badly to get Letty away from Dom, to someone who deserved her. He wanted her away from Dom because he knew Dom wasn't any good for her. But he wanted so badly to hold on to his loyalty to Dom. He had never gone against him, and he still didn't want too.

Vince finally broke the intense stare with Dom, who had no reaction to Letty's tears. He just went back to his conversation with his groupies.

"Hey pumpkin, I think you have an admirer," her whispered in her ear. She wiped her eyes before looking up at him. He nodded behind her to Roman, who was staring from his location next to Brian at Letty. His eyes looked concerned.

"Think so?" she asked, sniffling a bit.

"For real babygirl, go talk to him," Leon added, smirking at her. Letty needed no more help as she glided happily over to Roman and Brian. "You know Dom's gonna kill us right?" Leon asked Vince as they watched Letty walk away.

"Fuck Dominic."

* * *

I know it took forever to get this up, I've been busy. I'm taking a Diesel Technology class at this afternoon vocational school and it's been kicking my ass. That stuff's a lot more difficult than gas engines, thats for sure. Anyways, part two will be up shortly. R&R.


	19. AllOut Pt2

**Thanks for the reviews. Thanks especially to Venus, who gave me an great review! I'll do the spelling and grammar checks from now on. This chapter's just gonna finish up All-Out Friday's, next chapter is party time!**

**Read and Review all**.

* * *

Away from the melee, the next race was beginning. Jesse was up, and he was ready. He couldn't wait to get back on the blacktop and run his baby. The new-and-improved Jetta was a force to be reckoned with and he wanted everyone to know it. He checked under the hood for umpteenth time, making sure he didn't miss anything. He didn't even notice Deacon approaching him.

"You ready?" he asked, startling Jesse. He nodded frivolously, bouncing up and down. Deacon tossed his head back in laughter, this kid was really something. "Who you up against?"

"Some fools, nothing big," he pointed at the cars. "Robbie in the '97 Toyota Cresta, Junior in the '01 Integra, and Sung in the '01 Mustang. I'd say my best competition is the Cresta. These cats used to race back in the day, none know the difference between left and right. It's easy money," Deacon nodded, turning to take in the sights of the race.

Catching his eye, he saw Mia talking to a woman. He couldn't see her face because her back was turned, but he was sure he knew her. Frowning, he approached them both. His heart nearly stopped at the face staring back at him.

"Oh hey Baby, I want you to meet someone. This is my friend Lauren. We met up at the café a few weeks back. Lauren, this is my boyfriend Deacon," Mia introduced, not noticing the tension between the two.

"Nice to meet you Deacon. Mia's told me a lot about you," she smirked evilly, holding her hand out to Deacon. He only looked at it, giving her a nod.

"I'll see you around babe," he stalked off, wanting to get away from the situation as soon as possible. He picked up his pace, not paying any attention to where he was going, which caused him to bump into Katie head-on.

"Ow Deke! Jesus, what's the rush?" she asked, holding her chest.

"Sorry Katie. You won't believe who's here," he waited for her to say something, but she didn't. "Luna! Or Lauren as she calls herself," he rambled.

"Wait, you mean she's here? How do you know?"

"Because she's fucking best friend's with Mia!" Katie's eyes widened at the shocker.

"How did that happen?"

"Mia said they met at the store a few weeks back. Dammit!" a frustrated Deacon kicked at the dirt on the ground.

"Hey, relax," Katie put her hand in his shoulder. "You think she's up to something?"

"I _know_ she's up to something. She just acted like she didn't know me. I gotta get to Vince. You seen him?"

"Over with Leon and Brian counting the money," Deacon marched over to the Skyline, where sure enough, Brian, Leon, and Vince were standing over a pile of money in the passenger's seat.

Deacon grabbed Vince's arm, pulling him away.

"What is it?" Vince asked, not appreciating the aggressive gesture.

"Did you know she was here?" Deacon asked. By the confused look on Vince's face, he hadn't. "Luna, Vince, she's here."

Vince's eyes widened with anger. He was already fed up with the drama tonight and Luna showing up wouldn't help.

"Don't worry about it, just keep an eye out for her. We gotta get this night moving," Vince said, walking back over to the car.

"How much so far?" Deke asked, running his hands over his head.

Vince stared down at the cash. "Roughly thirty-five grand."

* * *

(Roman)

_Roman Pearce, what are you doing man? _That was the question I kept asking myself as I sat in conversation with Letty. _She's someone else's girl. You don't even like relationships, why are you thinking about one with her? But look at her. Those dark eyes, sexy lips, pretty hair, oh Ro you got it bad already man._

I was so in awe with her that I hadn't realized she asked me a question.

"You in there Rome?" she asked, waving her hand in my face. We were in her car at the race area, waiting for the start of race two. After her little rumble with Dom, she came and apologized for his behavior. After I brushed it off, she suggested that we sit in her car to get away from the madness. I happily agreed.

"Yeah, sorry girl. Just zoning a bit. What'd you ask?"

"I asked how long you been racing," she said with a smile.'_You have the sexiest lips!'_ I wanted to scream at her.

"Back in Barstow, Brian and I started racing when he moved there, we were around 15 or 16. Did it for a while, but our scene got boring and we weren't making money. Some guys we used to run around with introduced us into boosting cars. We did that until Brian got busted. He was pissed because he had to do two years in juvie while I was free," I stopped, not wanting to let on the rest of the story. She had a look on her face, unconvinced that that was all.

"And? What else?"

"While he was gone, me and these guys had this rim shop. Like dumb asses, we used to run around, snatching rims from every place we could. Cars, shops, garages, everywhere. We had our own little business going. When Brian got out, his dad got him a job at the local police department. Within the next month, the cops were busting down our shit, hauled us all off to jail. I did three years over Brian because he told his dad, who just happened to be the Chief of Police," I finished, feeling a little pain and anger inside.

"So he's always been the Buster, huh?" Letty asked with a smile. I nodded, unable to disagree.

We sat in a companionable silence for a while. We watched Jesse smoke these guys within seconds, he was a good racer. My eyes followed him carrying the money over to Vince, who was surrounded by the others. I was grateful that the Team was doing this for Brian. I know that if he asked me to do that after what he did to them, I wouldn't have been so easily persuaded.

"So Mr. Roman Marcus Pearce, what kind of car are you driving these days?" Letty asked.

"Gotta be more specific, I'm driving a lot," her eyebrows raised with a sexy grin.

"What do you race? And what's your everyday car?"

"I race my baby blue '04 Toyota MR2 Spyder, and I drive a 300z Z32. It's not much, but it gets me from A to B," I replied, proud of my babies.

"Wow, impressive. Guess your rolling in the dough in Miami, huh?" Letty asked.

"I am, Brian isn't. Ever since he ran to Mexico, he hasn't made more than a two grand, at the most. Not a big scene down there."

"This is about as big as it gets right here," Letty spoke proudly. I begged to differ, but I kept silent.

* * *

(No POV)

As the night continued on, the Team proved dominance as they came out on top in every race, Letty winning the third and Roman winning the fourth. Winning over 115 thousand that night, they were more than satisfied for the night. The last race was up and everyone was anticipating the buyers. Dominic, obviously, was gonna be the first buyer, but the others would be anticipated.

Deke, who stood next to Mia and "Lauren", began to step up to the plate, only to be stopped by Mia.

"What's wrong?" he asked her, seeing the fearful look in her eyes. She pulled him away to have privacy.

"Let him have this race," she said, low but hopeful. Deke looked at her with wild eyes.

"But Mia, I need-" he began to object.

"Please Deke, let him have this. He's been talking about it non-stop for the past few days. He's really looking forward to this," Deacon couldn't believe the words coming out of Mia's mouth.

"What, you want me to back out so he can win? What, you worried he can't win if I'm in the race? Did he ask you to do this?" Deacon was clearly upset and didn't look like he'd calm anytime soon.

"Relax, Deke! Please," Mia yelled, putting her hand on his chest. "Look we'll talk about this later. And I'll even make it worth your while," she said seductively, wrapping her arms around his neck and cocking her head to the side. Deacon smiled at the sexy grin she had on her face and couldn't dare say no.

He didn't speak, only kissed her lips and tossed an arm around her and walked back to the crowd.

"Okay, who else is in?" Hector asked as silence rang through the people.

"You know I'm coming for your ass, Toretto. But I'm not putting up my slip," Edwin said, getting a boo from the crowd.

"This is a slips races Ed, you know that Bro," Letty added, the crowd backing her up.

"No, it's fine. He's not gonna win anyways. But you will put up ten extra or back out," Hector informed, finally able to have the last laugh against Edwin.

"Shit, fine," Edwin said, smiling as he slapped twenty grand in Hector's hand. Another unknown racer, Louis, put up his pink slip and ten grand to enter the race.

An Asian racer stepped up, his crew tightly behind him. Dom hadn't seem them nor had he heard of them before. The man stood a good 5'11" and had a build slightly larger than Leon's. He had two eyebrow piercings and tattoos covering his neck. He looked at Dom, promise burning in his eyes.

"Who the hell are you?" Vince asked, eyes skeptical of the newcomer.

"I'm Raen. Who the hell are you?" he asked, just as much venom in his voice as Vince's.

"This is the team I've been telling you about. That's Dominic Toretto, he's the leader. That's his girl Letty and his sister, Mia. That's Jesse, their mechanic and whiz kid. Vince is the enforcer, and the guy manning the scanner's is Leon. These are the Top Dogs right here," Hector introduced.

"So now, who the hell are you?" Dom asked, his deep, rumbling voice booming, arms crossed in the cocky way they did.

"I'm Raen Tran, I run my crew. That's Yoko Tran, my little brother. That's Ming, my girl, Corgi my enforcer," Vince felt almost intimidated at the size of the 'enforcer'. The Samoan was twice Vince's size and had tattoos covering his body. The Team tensed up at the familiar last name, especially Brian and Dominic.

"As in Johnny Tran?" Brian asked, his voice hoarse but there.

"Meet his little brother," Hector pointed. Although he was the main man on the race scene, he seemed clueless about everything else that went on, including the Toretto/Tran feud.

"Don't worry Dominic, we're not here for vengeance. We're glad that bastard's dead. He was just dead weight in our family. We just wanna race," Raen said, his voice slightly exasperated as he handed Hector two rolls of cash. Dom expected that he got shit for being a Tran constantly, and he wasn't too proud.

Dom glanced at Deacon, expecting him to be one of the first to buy-in to the race. When he didn't, it made Dominic skeptical. _Why aren't you buying in?_ He thought. _Don't let me win this, fucker! At least try!_ He wanted to scream at Deke. Instead, he settled for...

"What's the hold up Cruz? You're not letting me win by default are you?" he asked, a smug grin on his face. Mia rolled her eyes, tightening her grip on Deacon's waist. The crowd 'oohed', hanging off Dom's every word.

"I'm not in the mood to break your heart Toretto. Wouldn't wanna wipe that smirk off your face too soon. I want one race. You and I, next Thursday. Whaddaya say?" before Deacon's mind could catch up, his mouth challenged Dominic to a race. Mia looked up at him like he was crazy, Dom only smirked wider.

"Your on. Let's go," Dominic waved the crowd off, taking one lasting glance at Deacon before he slid in his Road Runner

Mia scolded Deacon before storming off to the Mustang. Deke only shook his head, following behind her.

* * *

(Vince)

I stood next to Katie, waiting for the next OK to come from Leon to get the race started. She was doing incredibly well at the betting, considering the Races weren't a current event in her life like ours. Of course, I had to scare off a few buster's who thought they could put their hands all over her.

I felt my blood began to boil, but I couldn't figure out why. There was a sudden change in the air, one that made me angry and tense. I looked around to search for the sudden change; Mia and her new "best friend" were walking our way, Deacon following behind.

"Hey you two," Mia smiled, leaning up against the Galant with Katie and I. "Have you two met my friend, Lauren? I tried to invite her to the house and the last barbecue, but she insisted that she didn't want to impose. I even offered to try to hook her up with Le, she turned me down. Whenever I mentioned Vince or Deacon's name, she just lights up," Mia laughed, nudging her friend slightly. Lauren laughed nervously and looked at both of sensually, which frankly just grossed me out.. Katie caught the glance and moved in front of me, her back to my chest.

"Thankfully, we're both happily spoken for," I spoke, not biting my tongue for anyone. Mia scolded me, forcing a smile. I couldn't see her face, but could guarantee Katie had on a sarcastic grin.

"That's Vince, he's rude. That's his girlfriend, Katie," Mia introduced. Lauren held out her hand to shake; we didn't respond.

Before Mia could comment on our rudeness, Leon buzzed in all of the Nextels.

"We got a hostage situation at a convenient store in Compton. We're good to roll, I repeat, good to roll. Let's race Dominic," he announced.

* * *

(No POV)

Dom's black Road Runner, Edwin's red Integra, Louis' sky blue Mitsubishi FTO GPX, and Raen in the silver Subaru Impreza with black-on-black rims, were the cars on the starting line. Dom looked down the line at his competition, admiring the beauty that was Raen's Impreza. His eyes wandered down the body of the grayish-silver car, mentally praising the paint job and graphics, which were chrome flames down the sides. After each racer put up the pink slips to their cars, Dom was aching to have that bad boy sitting in his driveway.

It took Dom a few seconds to notice Raen smirking at him, catching Dominic's daze on his ride. He nodded, revving him engine at Dom. Dominic turned instantly, his blood boiling. Where he was from, if a man revved his engine at you, that was disrespect. He was calling Dom out. Dominic growled to himself as he prepped himself. He reached back, turning on his NOS gages. He strapped himself tightly in his five-point harness, then cranked his rap music.

With his most animal-like scowl, he murmured: _Let's go motherfucker._

Hector raised his arms after receiving the quick OK from Leon.

Dom sat up straight, gripping the steering wheel.

Hector drew his hands back, waving them slightly.

Dom pulled the clutch back.

Hector's arms dropped.

The cars flew off the line, Raen's Impreza easily smoking the other contenders. Dom was next in line, followed by Edwin, then Louis. Dom pressed down on the gas, his car gaining speed. He caught up to Raen quickly, his bumper to the Impreza's passenger-side door. Dom looked in his rear view to make sure the others were occupied; they were.

"Just you and me, Tran," Dom mumbled, switching gears, his speed approaching 155 mph.

When Raen saw that Dom was gaining speed, he panicked. He knew he couldn't lose this race. His Impreza was all he had. He needed to impress his father, and he knew beating Dominic Toretto in a street race would do it. He toughened up and hit his NOS button located near the radio. His car was sent into a frenzy as it sped down the four-lane quarter-mile. Glancing out the window, he couldn't make out anything past a blurry rainbow of the town. Before he was even able to readjust himself (his body being numbed from such high speeds) in his seat, he couldn't help but hear the loud growl of the Road Runner approaching.

"Sonuvabitch!" he yelled, shifting gears as put the pedal to the floor.

* * *

Away from the scene, Katie and Vince were collecting bets.

"I hear he's in second. You think he'll win?" Katie asked, unaware of Dom's ability on the blacktop. Vin looked at her as if she was nuts. "Sorry babe, I'm just unsure, that's all."

"Trust me, Dom's just a little rusty. He's gonna kick ass," Vince asked, counting the money that was placed in for the bet. Apparently, a lot of money was on Raen, and Vince could feel the ten grand in his hand going home with them tonight.

* * *

Back in the race, Raen was sweating bullets. He was still in the lead, but Dom was beginning to close the gap between them. The finish line was in sight, and all hearts were pounding. Suddenly, Brian's face flashed in Dominic's head. The look he had when he gave Dom those keys. The loyalty that coursed through Brian's veins and bled through his eyes. _He gave you those keys Toretto, he kept your ass outtake jail! You need this!_ That was all Dominic needed for motivation. He shifted gears, evening the Road Runner up with the Impreza. He took a deep breath, knowing this was the hardest his car had been pushed, and he hit the nitrous.

Dominic's body flew back into the seat as the nitrous-oxide kicked in, sending his car to speeds near 200. When Dom finally got his eyes to focus, he noticed he was passing the finish line first. He smiled, happy to be taking home two new cars, and some extra cash. The smile was quickly wiped off his face by the red and blue flashing in his rear view.

"Ahh, shit Pigs gotta ruin everything," he mumbled, slowing his car to a manageable speed. He picked up his walkie-talkie and beeped in to the connected talkies belonging to the Team.

"Head to the Fort, pigs are on their way. Make sure those three don't get away with my cars or money. Party starts soon," he spoke quickly, trying to maneuver his way out of the cop scramble with one hand. Tossing the talkie into the floor, Dominic managed to speed out of the scramble, flying down an alleyway.

It took him five minutes to get back to his territory: Echo Park. He was the first to arrive at the house, which surprised him. Once inside, he brought out the leftover Corona's in the fridge. Noticing they were in dire need of more beer, he ran to the shed, opened the deep freezer and carried three more cases of beers to the house. He cranked up the party music, grabbed himself a long neck beer, and waited for the beginning.


	20. Night of Discoveries

Sorry for the hiatus. Trying to wrap up my junior year of high school. Thanks again to Venus for a wonderful review! Thanks to all. Read and Review!

* * *

Within minutes, racers and chasers were filing in the Toretto home, ready to get the party started. Cars were backed up down both sides of the streets, people anxious to get to the party. Dominic passed out Corona's to the party goers, many of them crowding around him. Mia passed him on her way in, going to grab two Snapples, one for her and Lauren, and a Corona for Deacon. Dom grabbed her arm before she could leave.

"I want you to put the money in your safe. It's in the duffel bag on your bed. We'll count it tomorrow," Dom whispered in her ear, her nodding and kissing his cheek.

Vince and Leon walked behind Edwin, Louis, and Raen as they headed towards Dom. Vince had the shotgun in his hand, and a scowl on his face. The room instantly quieted as they approached Dom.

"What's the problem V?" Dom asked, his arms slung lazily around the same blonds from earlier.

"Louis ran," Edwin smirked, slamming twenty grand in Dominic's hand. Dom's gaze went to Louis, who had an ashamed look on his face. He was only a kid, barely out of his teens, and this probably wouldn't be the last dumb thing he'd do.

"Well considering I'm feeling good, I'm not gonna let Vince shoot you tonight," Louis sighed, feeling relieved. "But, you now have to endure what we do to those who run. Punk ass kids like you," Dom smiled, but animosity was clear in his voice. He looked at Vince and Leon. Vince checked if Katie was occupied, then both men nodded, snatching the kid up and dragging him outside.

Dom's eyes were now on Raen, who stood straight up, his crew behind him.

"You're a good racer," he complimented Dom.

"You're not so bad yourself," Dom smiled. Raen tossed his keys at Dom, a look of respect in his eyes. Dom looked at the keys, a flashback of Brian handing over his keys running through his mind. He looked up at Raen and nodded. "Wanna beer?" Raen smiled a cheeky smile, catching a beer that was thrown. Dom handed the rest of Raen's crew members beers, and the party got started.

Within minutes, Vince and Leon were back. Vince was gun-less and happy, and Leon was licking blood from his lip.

"Fucker hit me back," Leon mumbled, grabbing a cold beer as he passed Dom. Louis returned in the house, blood dripping from his eyebrow, his nose and lip. He walked back to Dom, as if asking for worthiness.

Dom picked up a canned Corona, looked at it, then tossed it to Louis.

"What kinda party is this? Turn the music up ese'!" Hector yelled, the crowd cheering with him.

Jesse turned the Spanish rap music back up as bodies continued to move. All the members of the Team were occupied, either with a beer, a significant other, or a chaser. Jesse was in the outside garage

with Brian, showing him ways to make the Fairlady go faster. Mia and Deacon were dancing in the living, their makeshift dance floor. Deacon watched out the corner of his eye as Luna stared at the couple. Her eyes were empty, pain and rage glowing through them. When Mia saw that Deacon wasn't watching her any longer, she followed his eyes. At that moment, Luna smiled at Mia, causing her to wave. Deacon had had enough.

"Mia, I have to tell you something," Deacon said, staring into Mia's eyes. On cue, Luna approached the couple.

"Mind if I cut in?" Deacon frowned, questioning her antics.

"Sure. Baby, why don't you go call Em. I'm sure she's worried," At the sound of Emma's name, Luna lit up, her eyes hopeful.

"Well on second thought, how 'bout I call her? You two lovebirds dance," her smile was fake and wasn't fooling Deacon.

"No, really, I'll call _my _daughter," Deacon said, his niceness sarcastic, putting emphasis on "my".

Over on the sofa,Vince and Katie were snuggled together, both nursing Corona long necks. Katie was resting, for her night had been long. Vince would've been too, but he was watching Luna like a hawk. He hadn't known why she showed up, but he didn't want her here any longer. Next to them were Leon and a blond chaser, though his focus wasn't on her.

"V, you see that brunette dancing with Mia?" he asked, caring less about the blond on his lap. Vince was snapped out of his trance at the sound of Leon's voice.

"Huh?"

"The girl, dancing with me. You seen her around before?" Vince clenched his teeth, not wanting to starting Katie by any sudden movements.

"A few times, why?" he didn't want to mention that he might have fathered her abandoned child, not while Katie was around anyways.

"She's fine, dawg," Leon said, mesmerized by the beauty that was Luna. He watched her up and down, hypnotized by her bare legs, leather covered round ass, and the white see-through lace tank that showed her bare stomach and bra-covered breasts. Her dark hair cascaded over her in ringlets, large gold earrings hanging from her ears. She was a bit on the skinny side, but her measurements were just perfect for Leon.

"No, bro, you don't wanna go there," Vince tried to warn without giving too much away.

"Oh trust me, dawg, I _wanna_ go there," Leon smirked, licking his lips at Luna.

"Le, brother, she's bad news. Nothing but a fucking whore bro, stay away from her!" Vince whispered as loud as he could to Leon.

Leon ignored Vince and dismissed the disappointed blond from his lap. He walked over to the crowd, whispering in Mia's ear, then smiling. She nodded and smiled back and Leon got behind Luna, grinding with her.

Vince signed, shaking his head. _This isn't gonna end well._

* * *

Letty and Roman sat on the porch, drinking and enjoying each other's company. Letty couldn't explain the fuzzy feeling she had in her stomach every time Roman smiled at her, but she liked it. Roman couldn't explain happiness he had in his heart when she laughed, but it made him nervous.

Roman had boundaries; this was one of them. He had a rule: never mess with another man's woman unless she was unhappy. Never get caught up in drama that you don't have too. Don't break up a happy marriage. He could tell that Letty was far from happy with Dom, and he wanted a way to get her to himself. From what he already knew, they had been together for over a decade, and their happiness had diminished over the years. _Dom was a cheater, a cocky cheater, and he didn't appreciate Letty's loyalty. Dumb fucker_, Roman thought.

(Letty's POV)

It was a little discouraging, the fact that Roman didn't seem to be listening to anything I was saying. He was in a daze, staring off into the midnight sky. _Damn, Leticia, you can't keep __any__ man's attention._

"You have trouble paying attention, don't you Roman?" I asked him, a hint of sarcasm and nervousness in my voice. He jolted from his daydream and turned to me, smiling.

"I pay attention to things that are important. Like you," he replied, his voice serious and in a matter-of-fact tone. I could feel my face turning seven shades beet red as I nervously pushed my hair behind my ears.

Rome looked at me sensually, those beautiful brown eyes on my lips. He leaned in slowly, I followed his actions. _Letty, you can't kiss another man while your so-called "boyfriend" is in the house! What the hell, he's occupied with the blond bimbo._ I leaned my lips to Roman's, surprised by the softness of his skin. The affectionate act lasted for mere seconds, but I knew instantly I wanted to do it again. So I did. I leaned back into the kiss, this time, my tongue running across his bottom lip. He groaned, opening his mouth, allowing my tongue to dance rhythmically with his. His hands became tangled in my hair as he pulled me closer, deepening the kiss. I could feel my body tingling all over, I hadn't felt that in what seemed like years. As he tongue ran over the roof of my mouth, I couldn't keep down the moan that my throat let out. Rome didn't seem to mind, for he pulled me closer, this time, I was on his lap, my legs on each side of him. Thankfully, I decided to dress decent (jeans, a white tank, and a leather jacket over it) that night, leaving my skirt upstairs.

The front door opened, but that didn't seem to deter me or Roman. He kept his hands planted firmly on my ass. I heard Mia yelling, then the loud clanking of high heels next to us. The front door stood wide open, but we continued making out like school kids. Then Mia's yelling turned high-pitch as she jumped up and down. "Look how cute!"

"Leave 'em be Mia," Deacon's country accent flared, then the door shut.

After another minute of making out with Rome, I pulled away. He smiled, probably at the crazy antics of my family. I wasn't so happy.

"What's wrong? Do you not want this? 'Cause I can leave you alone, we can just be friends-" he began ranting nervously. I put my finger to his lips, shushing him. He kissed them softly, his eyes staring into my mine tentatively.

"I dunno if it's the beer, or my hormones, or wanting to get back at Dom, but something is making me really want you Roman Pearce," he face went through a charade of emotions.

"Am I just gonna be a revenge fuck for you?" he asked, his voice low, but stern.

"Who said I was gonna fuck you?" I asked with the same intensity. I huffed and moved off his lap, grabbing my beer and walking into the house. I bumped into a frivolously dancing party goer, resulting into Corona all over the only non-see-through white tank I had. Only now it was see-through and half of the party noticed just how excited Roman made me.

I rolled my eyes and ran up the stairs, anxious to change shirts. I heard groaning, one that sounded oh-too-familiar. _That could be anyone Let, you know how the boys use that extra room for the chasers_, I told myself. As I closed in on the room Dom and I shared, the sexual sounds grew louder, and my paranoid thoughts became a reality.

Someone was in our room. Someone was _fucking_ in our room.

I burst the door open, ready to pounce on the couple leaving their essence in a room that used to be so sacred. What I saw boiled my blood, sent my heart into a raging beat that could only be calmed with violence. I blinked, unsure if what I saw was real.

Dom was on the edge of the bed, his hands on the bed, looking down at the same blond from earlier. Only she had her face shoved into his bare lap, her head bobbing up and down. She didn't stop her pace, as Dom stared at me with empty eyes. He wore a smug smirk, his eyes rolling in the back of his head as he reached his climax. That sure didn't stop the bimbo.

It was at that moment that I knew it was over. There was no longer a relationship between Dominic and I. Love was destroyed and trust was demolished, leaving only broken hearts in the process.

I forgot about the shirt as I stomped down the stairs, my high-heeled black boots thumping loudly. I ignored everyone running to my aide, anxious to see what all the anger was for. I grabbed Vince and Leon's beers right out of their hands, storming out of the house. To my surprise, Roman was still sitting there. He stood up when he saw me.

"Letty, I'm so sorry," he apologized immediately.

"Can we get out of here?" I asked instantly. My throat was burning horribly from the tears that were threatening to come out.

"What's wrong baby?" he asked, noticing how upset I looked.

"Let's go, you drive," I tossed him my keys as I headed towards my car.

PAGE BREAK

(No POV)

Deacon was just hanging up from Lou, who was happily watching Emma while Deacon had a night out. He missed her like crazy, but he also enjoyed not having to watch her every move. He was about to leave the go and rejoin the party when Mia entered the room. He smiled, but it was soon wiped away by her scowl.

"What'd I do?" he asked defensively.

"What the hell is everyone's problem with Lauren? It seems like ever since she showed up tonight, everyone hates her," Mia questioned, her tan face reddening with anger. "Hell, Leon is the only one who likes her. He's been grinding with her for the past fifteen minutes," Deacon mentally slapped himself, he had to get to Leon to tell him about Lauren.

"Mia, there's something you should know about Lauren. Sit down," I pulled her hands and sat her down on the sofa in the den. "Mia, Lauren isn't who you think she is," I started.

"What? What are you talking about Deke?" she asked.

"Lauren is Luna. Lauren is Emma's mother," I said slowly, releasing a deep breath afterward. She was silent, staring at me dazed and confused.

"What is this Deke? What are you saying?" _Why was she being so dense?_

"Lauren is Emmanuelle's mother. She showed up earlier this week wanting to see her, but I wouldn't let her in. On her way to her car, she rambled something like 'this isn't the last you'll see of me'. She's fooling you Mia."

"That little tramp!" Mia whispered loudly, making me smile inwardly. "She tried to use me to get close to you and Em. Well I'll show that bitch, you two are all mine now."

She stormed out the den, I was hot on her heels. What I saw made me puke a little. Leon was grinding drunkly with Luna, who was gulping down a beer. I looked at Vince on the couch, who lazily shrugged his shoulders as he went back to his conversation with Katie. Mia stormed up to the two, not speaking a word. Instead, she smacked the beer out of Luna's hands, the cool liquid splashing all over the place, including down Luna's top.

"What the hell Mi? What's wrong girl?" she asked.

"Don't play that bullshit with me," Mia pushed her, clearly unafraid of a fight.

"Mia, what's wrong babygirl?" Leon asked, trying to get in between the two.

"Lauren, or Luna, whoever the hell you are. You have five seconds to get the fuck outta my house!" Mia growled, similar to her brother's fierce roar. The crowd 'oohed', enjoying the show being put on.

"I wanna see my daughter. I'll do whatever I have to until she's with me," Luna said, getting in Mia's face. Bad idea, I thought to myself. My thoughts were confirmed as Mia planted a hard right hook to Luna's jaw, dropping her to the ground. The one time Dominic was needed to interfere, he wasn't around. Instead, I jumped in between before Mia could do anymore damage.

"That's enough baby," I pushed her away, stopping the quickly escalating fight.

"Don't come around here again! If I even see you on this block one more time , and trust me, no one will be there to pull me off you!" Mia launched herself at Luna again, but Vince managed to pick Luna from the floor and toss her out the door with one swift movement. Mia got loose of my hands and ran to the door, making sure Luna found her way off the property. I followed to make sure Mia didn't run after the poor girl. Mia began jumping up and down.

"Did she get hit by a car?" Katie asked with a hint of laughter in her voice. I reached the door, finding Letty happily in Roman's lap making out. _Whoa, too much to see_. After she declared "how cute" the two were, I decided to give them some privacy. "Leave 'em be Mia," I drug her away from the door.

About ten minutes later, we all sat on the sofa and love seats, enjoying the brews and our ladies, except for Leon, who was particularly bummed about the discovery of the girl of his dreams.

"So that was really her? Damn she was hot," Leon repeated over and over. We just laughed.

"Lucky we got to you before you did something really stupid. How would you be able to explain to Dom that horrible case of the 'itchies' you'd have," Vince joked, causing us all to laugh. The tension was finally eased.

"Say, have any of you seen Dominic? I haven't heard a word from him in about an hour," Mia said, scanning the room for her brother. I had a feeling it had a lot to do with the blond from earlier, but I didn't want to bring it up.

As if on cue, Letty came storming in the house, bumping into a party goer. She spilled her Corona all over her top, and immediately began to change. Leon laughed for a split second, before Vince smacked him upside his head. Within minutes, Letty was running back down the stairs, tears in her eyes. Both Leon and Vince ran to her aide. It was amazing how wrapped around Letty and Mia's fingers these guys were. She grabbed their beers and stormed out of the house.

"What the hell was that about?" I asked them, receiving shrugs from them. "Wait, didn't Dominic go upstairs with-" before I could finish my sentence, Dom was trotting down the stairs, holding his pants with one hair and a beer with the other. He was topless and looked like an alcoholic.

"Party's over," was all he said before wandering upstairs, slamming his door.

Mia suggested that her and I go back to my place, and I was in no state to refuse.


	21. The Morning After

Sorry for the wait. Thanks for the reviews. Let's keep it going.

* * *

"So what happened back there?" Roman asked Letty as they sped down the coastline, wanting to get far away from the party as possible.

"I don't wanna talk about it," Letty said, staring out the window. She was not only heartbroken, but angry.

Angry that she had been so blind to see it all before. Angry because she knew what Dom was doing, and didn't have the heart or the guts to do something about it. Angry because she allowed him to hurt her. Angry because he wanted to hurt her.

"Come on, it'll help," Roman pushed again, his voice soft and gentle.

"Drop it please. I don't wanna talk about it," she repeated, her pitch high as she battled with her emotions.

"Ok, that's fine. So where are we going?" he asked as they began approaching the city.

Letty thought for a second. _Where can I go and not have to worry about Dom finding me? _She thought to herself. "Take a right here," she directed as Roman pulled off the coastline and back onto the streets.

After nothing but directions being given, the twenty-minute silent ride led to a huge, beige three-story house. It looked to be abandoned, but well taken care of.

"Ok, so where are we?" Roman asked as he opened Letty's door for her, letting her out. She was taken aback by his manners, but smiled inwardly. _Dom didn't open doors for me._

"This is where my abuelita used to live," she looked at Roman, who had no idea what she said. "My grandma, this was her place. She left it to me in her will," Letty fished for the keys to the house.

"Well, why don't you just live here?" Rome asked, curious as to why she lived with that jerk Dominic.

"Something about the Toretto house that I can't stay away from," she said as they walked through the foyer. "But I know I definitely ain't going back," she mumbled as flashbacks of the blond's head in Dom's lap ran through her mind.

Rome eyed the living room, instantly loving the 'Letty vibe' it gave off. The walls were a deep maroon, which he found out was Letty's favorite color. There were two recliners next to a large wrap-around leather-plush couch. In the middle of the room was a large round coffee table that had the latest import magazines sprawled over it. An entertainment system with the works (PS2, CD player, big screen TV) sat against the wall. There were pictures of Letty and Mia, the boys, and surprisingly only one of her and Dom on the walls.

"Wow, this sure is the bachelor's pad," Roman joked, eying the video games sprawled on the floor.

"Vince, Leon, and Jesse helped me decorate. After we split that big bundle of cash we got from the four heists, I decided I'd finally put this place to use," she sat the keys on the coffee table. "Want a beer?" she asked as she made her way to the kitchen. She took her off jacket on the way, tossing it in a closet.

She didn't wait for an answer as she reached into her fridge, which didn't have much food in it. There were two shelves stocked with Corona's, some strawberries, water, and a box of pizza. She looked in the freezer, finding it full of frozen dinners._ Gotta go shopping soon_, she thought. She grabbed two beers and made her way to the living room, where Roman was on her sofa, flipping through the channels on her TV.

"Sure Rome, make yourself at home," she smiled, flopping down next to him. She popped open one beer, and gulped it, while nursing the other on her lap.

"Where's mine?" he asked.

"In the fridge. I've known you for probably a few days and we've already made out, don't expect me to be polite now," Letty smiled, drinking her beer as he went to get one for himself. He returned next to her, watching her stare absently at television.

"He hurt you again, didn't he?" At that moment, Letty couldn't keep the tears away as they blinded her, slowly sliding down her cheek. What began as a silent cry turned into a hysterical sob as Roman held her. "Shh, it's okay baby. Romey-Rome's here now. I won't let anything hurt you girl."

* * *

Mia and Deacon were in his apartment, both lying back on his bed, thinking over everything that happened that night. They laid like that for what seemed eternity, the silence a comfortable one. Deacon couldn't help but become nervous. Monday was approaching and he would soon have to face reality. Reality that Emma might very well be Vince's daughter, not his. Reality that his whole world could come crashing down on him in the next 48 hours. Reality that he'd be left alone with no one to admire him, no one to take care of. No one to take care of him.

Deke took a deep breath and closed his eyes momentarily. When he opened them again, he was staring at big brown eyes and a smile he had come to fall in love with. Mia's hair had fallen down in front of her eyes as she looked down on her man. He pushed her hair behind her ear and cupped her chiseled cheeks.

"So I was persuaded by a beautiful young woman not to buy into a street race tonight under some pretty sweet circumstances," he smiled, wiggling his eyebrows at her.

Mia laughed, loving how easily Deke could make her smile. After staring into each other's eyes so lovingly, Deacon finally kissed her. It was the most passionate kiss Mia had ever had. She crawled on top of him to get better access to his mouth. Deacon welcomed her body, placing his hands up the back of her shirt. After an eternity of licking, sucking, biting, and kissing, Deacon prepared to finally make love to the woman he was falling in love with. They laid there, both nude, Mia underneath Deacon. Deacon somehow managed to pull his fluffy white satin comforter over their bodies.

"Are you sure about this Mi?" he asked her.

"Deacon, make love to me," Deacon needed no more instruction as he leaned down and kissed Mia again.

* * *

(Dom)

I cringed in my sleep as the pain from my headache woke me from my slumber. I instantly felt a horrific itching in my crotch. After scratching it for what seemed like eternity, I kicked my legs over the side of the bed, the cool breeze running over my nude body. My stomach punished me for my quick actions as it immediately ran for my throat. I made it to the toilet in record time as I threw up.

After regurgitating my guts, I washed my face and brushed my teeth. I looked threw the medicine cabinet for some cream for that itch that just wouldn't stop. Instead, I found a few aspirin that would relax my headache for a while.

I walked back into my room, but stopped in my tracks at the blond in my bed. She turned over and rubbed the empty spot where I was lying, feeling it empty, she sat up.

"Dommy, come back to bed," she smiled, pulling the covers back, revealing her naked body.

"Get dressed. It's time for you to go," I said, again scratching my dick.

"But baby, let's re-do last night again," she crawled to the edge of the bed near my burning buddy.

"No, really, you've done enough. Get your clothes and go," I told her, yanking her off my bed. I tossed her clothes at her.

"I don't know what your problem is. You didn't seem made last night when you were screaming my name," she replied, picking her clothes up from the floor.

I sat on the edge of the bed, listening to another ten minutes of her bitching and insults while she got dressed.

"You know Dom, I could find a better fuck than you. Way better. I don't know why I waited so long for you," she rambled.

"Yeah, well, make sure you warn him about the morning after itches," I replied sarcastically, fanning my nuts.

Finally, with a huff, she was out of my room. _What the hell happened last night?_ I asked myself. I couldn't remember why another woman was in my bed. Why my beautiful Latina girlfriend wasn't here, but an infected skank was leaving my room. _No more alcohol, Dom._

I took a shower and got dressed, decided it was best to put on only sweats. I walked downstairs, hoping to find Letty on the couch in front of cartoons with a bowl of cereal in her hands. Instead, Vince sat with a cup of a coffee watching the SPEED channel. I said morning to him, receiving a grunt in reply. I smirked, walking into the kitchen. Katie was standing over the stove, fixing breakfast. I frowned. Mia never let anyone cook in her kitchen, not since Ma died.

"Where's Mia?" I asked, pouring me coffee in a mug.

"Oh, she hasn't been home yet. She spent the night with Deke. He's taking her and Emma out to breakfast, she gave me permission to cook," she smiled, reading my mind. I smiled and nodded. Katie seemed like the perfect girl for Vince. She was a sweetheart and she could cook. Just Vince's type. _Now he'll leave Mi alone._

I walked into the living room and sat in my recliner, kicking my feet up.

"Where is everyone?"

"Leon and Jesse are still sleeping. Buster's in the shower," Vince said, sipping his coffee.

"Where's Letty?" At this question, Vince paused, finding the inside of his cup particularly interesting. "Where is she V?"

"With Roman. They left last night," My mind instantly swirling with assumptions.

"Why is she with Roman? Where are they V?" I stood up, racing to the door. I shoved my foot in sandals and grabbed my keys.

"Dominic, sit down, brother," I didn't budge, but I leaned against the door. "Look, I don't know the whole situation, but what I and the whole party saw was that something bad happened last night. She came in from outside, spilled beer on her shirt, then ran upstairs. She came back with tears in her eyes, grabbed beers and left. A few minutes later you came down and kicked everyone out."

My heart dropped as I began remembering last night. I remembered going to my room with Monica. I remembered seeing Letty walk in, pure hatred in her eyes as she watched Monica give me oral sex. I remembered the smug look I gave, so drunk that I couldn't care if she hated me. My eyes watered as I remembered watching the love of my life walk out the room.

"V, what have I done?"

* * *

"I can't believe I'm cooking," Roman said out loud as he flipped the omelet.

Roman had woken early that morning, disgruntled and hungry. After remembering Letty hadn't had any food in her fridge, he decided to make a food run. He didn't buy much, only things for breakfast. He checked on Letty when he got back and figured he'd have to cook if he wanted to be fed that morning.

Upstairs, Letty was coming out of her slumber as she turned over in the comfortable bed. Feeling the silky comforter beneath her fingers, she opened her eyes. She didn't recognize the room, she knew it definitely wasn't her and Dom's room. She looked around the bedroom. It was her grandmother's old room.

The walls were painted a brighter red than the living room. On the walls were pictures of Letty and her family: Carmen, her mother; Lorenzo, her father, and her little brother, Cameron. She missed them dearly. They died in a car accident, caused by a eighteen-wheeler. The driver was drunk on the job and ran stop sign, crashing into the family car. They all died on impact. _I miss you guys_, she said to herself. She was at the Toretto's house that day, meeting Mia and Dom for the first time. That day, Mr. Toretto took her in, and made her an honorary daughter.

She looked at other pictures of her grandparents. She smiled at them. Gia Lucielle Mendez and Sergio Lee Rodriguez. She admired her grandmother and her granddad spoiled her. After her grandparents died, they left Letty the house and a hefty amount in their will, three-hundred thousand dollars. She decided to use that money to renovate her new home and upgrade the 240 SX _Never did go to the impound to reclaim it_, she thought. She put the rest away for when she really needed it.

Letty rolled over, emotions overwhelming her as she felt her eyes water. _Cut it out Let,_ she told herself. She relaxed in the bed, which was king size with black silky sheets to match the comforters and pillows. The smell of bacon nearly lifted her body and carried her down the stairs. She fixed her t-shirt and Cool Joe boxers as she walked down the wrap-around stairs and into the kitchen, where Roman was cooking. She stood there for a few seconds, admiring the beauty that was Roman. He was topless, his tattoos and muscles glistening in the morning sun. He wore his jeans from the previous night, and they were riding dangerously low. _I could get use to this._

"Funny, I didn't take you as the cooking type," she said sarcastically, walking into the room. Roman laughed, handing her a cup of coffee.

"I'm not. I was just too tired of waiting for you to get up," he replied, sitting a bacon, ham, and cheese omelet with toast in front of her. She nodded a thanks to him and dug in.

"So what happened last night? Last thing I remember is watching Family Guy, then it goes blank," she asked.

"Well at that moment you were drinking your sorrows away. I carried you upstairs, changed you, put you to bed," he answered, shoveling food into his mouth. She wasn't sure if he was lying, but then again, he hadn't lied to her yet.

"And nothing happened right? I mean, we didn't fuck or anything, did we?" her bluntness caught him off guard. He had to laugh.

"No, I wouldn't do that to you. Now, if it was some girl I met at the races, I wouldn't have thought twice about it," he laughed. She smiled. _At least he was honest_.

After breakfast and showers, Letty and Roman were ready to go. She was dressed in the same clothes as the previous night, simply to piss Dom off and make him think. Letty locked the house up and got in her car, speeding off towards Echo Park.

When they pulled up to the house, neither of them exited the car just then. They sat there, not wanting to abandon the comfortable company that came with them being alone together. Letty just stared ahead, knowing once she entered that house, the atmosphere would change. She wanted to break away from that life, get away from the fights and the pain. She needed to do that now. Roman stared at her, unsure whether he should speak or leave her alone.

Roman took a deep breath. "You all right?" he asked.

She shrugged. "Ro, whatever happens in here, happens. I – I don't know how I feel just yet about you, about us. But I know I don't want it to end so soon. I know I'm a little messed up, but I need just a little more time to figure myself out."

"That's fine. I'm not going anywhere. Handle ya business, girl," he replied, kissing her lips softly.

When they walked into the house, the happiness was out the window. Dom sat on the recliner, hands under his chin, in deep thought. Vince, Leon, and Jesse were sitting on the sofa, too interested in the video game. Katie sat on Vince's lap, nuzzling his ear affectionately. Brian stood anxiously at the kitchen door, waiting for them to get home. Dom jumped up when the door opened.

"Get the fuck out of my house. This is how you fucking repay me, fucking my girlfriend?!" Dominic lunged at Roman. Brian, Vince and Leon all tried to help break the two up, but it was barely any hope. Vince managed to pull Dom off Roman for a second, while Brian held Rome back.

"If you knew how to treat a fucking woman, you wouldn't have to worry about her coming to me!" Roman replied, fighting to get out of Brian's grasp.

"Both of you, shut the hell up. Brian, you okay to drive?" he nodded, frustrated with the trouble Roman had caused. "You two pack your stuff. Roman, go home and I'll call you later," she tossed the key to her secret home to Roman. Brian let him go, watching him closely as he walked by Dom to the basement. Rome gave Dom a once over, murmuring 'punk' as he passed, purposely bumping shoulders with him.

"What the fuck is going on, Letty? What, you sneaking around with the guests now?" Dom asked sarcastically, as Katie patched up his busted lip.

"Fuck you Dom, you don't know shit!" Letty exclaimed.

"Boys, out, now!" Dom bellowed.

"No need guys, this isn't gonna take very long," Letty smirked, crossing her arms in front of her. "Dom, I'm done with you. I'm done with your lying, cheating, selfish ass. For so long, I let you control my life and what I wanted. I let you hurt me for so long, simply because I was too fucking stupid to see who you really are," Dom rolled his eyes, not wanting to listen. "Dominic Toretto, you're a fucking coward," Letty finished, not taking her eyes off Dom. She could tell by the look in his eyes, that it hit him hard. _Good._

"Excuse me?" Dom stepped forward, now towering over Letty. She didn't budge or flinch, but stared back with hateful eyes.

"You are a fucking coward Dominic. You push everyone else around, scaring them into doing what you want, because your too much of a puss to do it yourself. Why weren't you the one on that fucking truck? Why was Vince lying in a hospital for months, while you fucking ran to Baja with your tail between your legs? Why are you so afraid to man up and take responsibility for your actions? You are a coward. You don't care about anyone's feelings except your own. When Mia was struggling to keep both the store and the shop running, why didn't you come back to help? Why did you send Leon and I to help? We have all risked our asses more than once to protect you, to honor you, and what did we get in return? Not even a fucking thanks! I love you Dominic, but I refuse to stand around and watch you take this family under with you. I'm leaving."

The whole room was silent, all watching what had just happened between the ex-lovers. Vince couldn't help but smirk at Dom, who's mouth was open, gaping like a fish. He wanted to speak but no words could reply to what was just said. Jesse felt extremely uncomfortable and couldn't dare stay still any longer. He quickly walked to the kitchen for a beer, followed by Leon and Vince. Leon kissed Letty's cheek as he passed, Vince patted her head affectionately. Dom sauntered past Letty slowly and stormed out of the house. Letty let out the breath she didn't know she was holding, then walked upstairs to her room.

She grabbed her three suitcases, tossing everything she owned inside them. She grabbed all her pictures and jewelry and tossed them into a backpack. She came across a photo of her and Dom when they were younger. Dom was leaning on his brand new Mazda Rx-7, holding Letty in his arms. They were laughing because of something stupid Vince said, but she could see the love in their smiles. She kissed the picture and sat it on the end table next to the bed.

As she was leaving, there was a knock at the door.

"Hey, I heard what happened," Mia said softly.

"Yeah, I figured the boys wouldn't keep quiet for long," she replied, smiling a fake smile. Mia always was the one to understand how a person was feeling without being told. She knew Letty was hurting deeply. She didn't speak, but pulled Letty into a tight hug.

She whispered in Letty's ear, "You did the right thing. He was a dog and I'm glad you've done what's best for you. I still love you like my sister, Leticia."

Letty fought away the tears and smiled, playfully hitting Mia. Mia followed down the stairs just as Roman and Brian were leaving. Letty gave Vince, Jesse, and Leon hugs, telling them not to worry. She hugged Katie, which took everyone by surprise, threatening her to take care of her boys for her.

"Don't be a stranger," Mia yelled from the porch as Roman loaded Letty's bags in her trunk.

"You guys know where I live. Next race party at my place, eh?" she smiled as the tears began coming down slowly. She quickly pulled her shades down and slid in her car. She knew if they saw her crying, Vince would end up carrying her back in the house to stay. "See ya boys," she said in her rear view mirror, only audible to herself.

"Where the fuck is Dominic?" Mia's growl was only half as scary as her bite.


	22. Mia's Wrath

**Thanks for the wonderful reviews. Keep 'em coming.**

**A/N: I have no idea how to schedule an appointment for paternity tests, hell, I don't even know if you schedule. Work with me people.**

**A/N: Congratulations to Vin Diesel, who had a daughter in April. Yay for him! His girlfriend is one lucky woman.**

* * *

(Deacon)

I was home with Emma, relaxing after a wonderful breakfast with Mia. I insisted that she come back to our place so we could all enjoy the evening together, but she got a call from Jesse saying that it was urgent and that she was needed home. I told her to go on without us and we'd meet up with her later. There was more to that than I let on.

"Em, why don't you go play with your cars in the living room, Daddy has to make a phone call," I said, reaching for the phone. I made sure she was out of the room before I grabbed the phone book and looked up a number. Finding it, he sat back in his bed and dialed the number.

"Los Angeles Fertility and Health Clinic, how may I help you?" the operator said.

"Hi, um, my name is Deacon Cruz. I was looking to make an appointment for a paternity test, if that's possible."

"Yes sir, it is. And will we be testing for a father, or child?" I told her father, and I felt extremely awkward. Was it often that a man called for a paternity test on another man? Probably not.

"How old is the child in question?"

"She just recently turned five, ma'am."

"Okay sir, and do you have a requested date in mind?" the operator asked, her manners seemed to calm me.

"Sometime Monday, maybe. As soon as possible would be great," I rubbed my hand over my forehead, ready to be put out of my misery with this test.

"Alrighty sir, you have an appointment with Dr. Joseph Stevens on Monday, at approximately four p.m sir. Thank you and have a nice day," she said cheerily before hanging up.

I put the phone on the charger and laid back in my bed. I couldn't keep the memory of last night out of my head. Every time I thought of it, a huge, goofy smile came to my face. Mia was incredible, simple as that. While I was enjoying my thoughts of last night, the doorbell rang. I had to run out the room as quick as I could, Emma had a bad habit of answering the door when she wasn't supposed too.

I jumped in front of the door before she could, sticking my tongue out at her, "Immatwure," she said the best she could.

I rolled my eyes and pulled open the door. There stood a man in a sharp suit, wearing sunglasses and holding a briefcase.

"Deacon Cruz?" he asked, pulling his shades to the top of his head. He squinted, trying to see no thanks to the bright sun.

"Who's asking?" I asked cautiously.

"I'm Gregory Hansen, I work downtown at the courthouse. This is a court supeona," he handed me a folded blue paper with my name on it. "You are being summoned to court by Judge Raymond Tapia. You will be involved in a child custody battle over Emmanuelle Cruz with Ms. Lauren Murphy. The rest of the details are inside," he nodded, pulling his shades back down and walking away.

I stood there gaping with my mouth wide open. I couldn't believe that bitch! She had the nerve to leave me with a kid to take care of by myself while she was out doing crack, and now she wanted custody? _My luck just gets better and better_, I said to myself.

I slammed the door as I flopped down on the sofa. Emma noticed my anger and climbed on my lap. I tossed my head back and closed my eyes as she rubbed my temples with her tiny hands. I always did love that about her. She knew just what to do to make me calm down.

"Daddy, what'sa matter?" she asked, holding both sides of my face.

"Nothing baby, just stressed," I kissed her forehead and held her close to me.

Suddenly my phone began ringing. Emma hopped off my lap to get back to her cars as I dug the phone out of my jeans.

"What?" I growled angrily.

"Deke, yo man, you need to get here now! Mia's about to go crazy on Dom, dawg!" Leon's voice was rushed, but slightly excited.

"I'm on my way," I hung up and grabbed my baseball hat off the TV, putting it on backwards. "Let's go, we gotta go see Mia."

* * *

(No POV)

Back at the Toretto house, Mia was pacing the living room back and forth, cursing and yelling up a storm. Vince, Jesse, and Leon sat on the sofa, nursing Coronas and enjoying the show. Katie left minutes earlier to go on a beer run that she insisted on doing for the boys. Since the second Letty's car left the curb, Mia had been on a rampage, threatening to "rip Dom's skank-fucker" off more than once.

"How long do you think this will go on?" Vince whispered to the others, guzzling down his brew.

"Maybe until she gets her hands on Dom. Or until she tires herself out," Jesse laughed, surprised to see someone more worked up than himself.

"I'll go call Deacon, maybe he can calm her down," Leon said, making a dash past her to the kitchen phone.

Meanwhile, Dom was sitting in the health clinic, anxious to see a doctor. He decided that after Letty going off on him, it'd be best that he check out that awful itch he had in his pants. He went to the LAFAH (Los Angeles Fertility and Heath) clinic to see if it was anything major. He filled out minor paperwork and was directed to a room where he was waiting for a doctor to come in.

At that moment, the late, rushed doc entered the room.

"Sorry, mister-" he flipped through the clipboard. "Toretto. I was on my lunch break. I'm Peter Crawford. Now, what seems to be the problem here?" he asked.

"I woke up this morning is a really bad itch and ache on my-" Dom nervously tried to think of more appropriate word, other than 'dick', "big guy."

The doctor smiled, he had many people like Dom. Grown people still afraid to say "penis" or "vagina". "Okay, how bout you take off your pants and we'll check things out," Dom hesitantly did as he was told, pulling his black jeans down to around his ankles. He figured looking at something else than that the doctor would calm his racked nerves. The doc reached to check under Dom's penis, and Dom flinched. His fists were balled and he was ready to pound the doc out of his misery. "Calm down Dominic, I'm just taking a look. I need to do this to see how bad your privates are injured." Dom nodded as the doctor examined his jewels. "Have you been having unprotected sex?" Dom didn't speak, only nodded his head. "And how recent was this?"

"Last night, sir," Dom said nervously.

"Mm-hm. And do you know if the person you were involved with had any kind of sexually transmitted diseases?"

"Hell, probably, doc. I met her at a party last night," he lied. He didn't want to come out and say he was an illegal street racer.

"Ok. Well we're going to run a few tests to see make sure you're okay. I'm gonna a urine sample in this cup. Then we'll take some blood and get you figured out," Dominic nodded, extremely ashamed of himself. He knew if he had an STD, there was no way in hell that Letty would take him back. He would resent him, despise him. _Hell, she did now_, he thought to himself.

* * *

(Letty)

I sat outside my grammy's house, reliving everything that just went down. Dom always was a chauvinist jerk! _I wasn't the one who was fucking other people, he was!_ I managed to keep my emotions bottled up, that is, until I saw his picture on my sun visor. I took it down, ripped it to shreds and tossed it out the window. I lost it at that moment. I rolled the windows up and began screaming at the top of my lungs. I punched the steering wheel repeatedly until all of my frustration was out.

I didn't stop until my hands were bruised and even then I didn't stop yelling. Finally, I decided my car took enough beating and I got out the car.

I carried my bags into the house, finding Roman and Brian sitting on the sofa, money sprawled out on the table.

"Baby, you all right?" Roman jumped up and ran to my aide, grabbing my bags out of my hands. I didn't know how to react, being treated so gentle, almost like a China dish. It was nice though.

"I'm fine, boy, relax," I smiled, rubbing his bald head.

"Damn, what happened to your hands?" the Buster's cop instincts must've made him notice my bruised hands.

"Oh, I was letting out some frustration in the car. I'm fine, really," I tried to get the two worry warts away from me.

"C'mon, I'll wrap them up. Ro, take her in the kitchen," Brian began shuffling through his bags as Roman drug me to the kitchen.

Roman pulled out a chair and sat me down at the table. I smirked and relaxed in the seat. He came back with two beers. He put one on each of my hands, cooling them down. The cool feeling made them feel instantly better, but also made my body feel free to relax and let loose. Brian came in the kitchen with gauze and an ice package.

"You gonna fix me up, _nurse_?" I teased as the pain from my right hand made me feel a little dizzy.

"Shut up. Your right hand looks like it took the most of it, so I'm gonna put the ice pack on it and wrap it up," he did what he said he would, and wrapped my other hand in gauze. I nodded a thanks to him and opened one of the beers on the table.

"Sorry I caused all that trouble back at the house. But I wasn't gonna stand there and let that punk talk to you like that. Romey Rome ain't scared of no man," he howled, bringing a smile to my face. I never met someone other than Dom who could make me smile so easily.

"Thanks Ro," we both got up and walked into the living room where Brian was. He was counting the money and watching ESPN at the same time. "You guys know you can stay for as long as you need to. There are plenty spare rooms upstairs. Make yourselves at home. I'm gonna go unpack and take a nap," I grabbed my bags and started for the stairs. "Oh yeah, and please try to keep this place a secret, you know, away from Dominic. I don't want him coming here and trying to regulate things. Later guys."

(No POV)

Roman watched Letty walk up the stairs until she was out of his sight. Brian sat staring at Roman, who was suddenly enthralled in the World's Strongest Man contest.

Brian shook his head, "I thought I was the one getting in trouble over a female, cuz?"

"You are, punk! How often do I get us in trouble over a piece of ass?"

"Uh, now," Brian laughed.

"Fuck you Bri, Letty's not a piece of ass!" he yelled in a whisper, "Letty's a good person, ya know. She just wants a good man, nothing wrong with that."

"And you're that good man? Roman, what about Asya? Remember, the hired help from Harry's you were hitting on not to long ago?" Roman didn't speak, only shrugged. He took another gulp of his beer and rubbed his belly.

"Order me some grub."

* * *

Deacon quickly came to a stop outside of the Toretto house, unsure how to handle Mia. Last night was the first night he saw her wrath, and twice in one week was more than enough 'angry Mia'. He helped Emma out the car, carrying her quickly to the house. Standing on the porch, he could hear her roar loud and clear.

"Whatever bad things Mia says, just ignore it. She's really pissed at Dominic. Just try to stay out her way, okay baby?" he warned her. It wasn't the fact that Emma had never heard curse words before, or she never saw anyone angry. But did want anything Mia said to get to Emma or to upset her.

When Deacon opened the door, he wasn't expecting Mia to come flying at him the way she did. Luckily for him, Vince jumped up and grabbed her around the waist, picking her up and putting her behind him. Deacon handed Emma to Vince, much to his own demise, and followed Mia into the kitchen.

When he found her, she was pacing the kitchen, mumbling words to herself. He wasn't sure if it was safe to approach her, but did anyways. While she had her back turned, he wrapped his arms around her from behind. He tense body wanted to fight, but it was simply exhausted as she relaxed into Deacon's hold. Neither spoke a word, but only stood there, letting the tension fade from the atmosphere.

"What's wrong baby?" he whispered, his smooth southern accent easily calmed her, but also fired up her libido.

"Dominic, that pig of a brother of mine. He put Letty through so much shit, I'm surprised she stayed with him this long. She finally got sick of him and now she's gone. She was the only person in this house who understood me, other than Dominic. She might not seem like the type of person to care about someone, but she cared too much about Dom. She was the only girl who could deal with his 'lifestyle'. I just can't believe he did that to her," she finished, leaning her head back on Deke's shoulder.

"Let's go back in there and chill until he gets home," he walked with her back to living room, where he wasn't expecting their guest to be sitting in a recliner. He was reading papers intensely, looking over pill bottles at the same time.

"Hey Mi, Deke," he looked up momentarily. Mia was fuming once again, but she somehow managed to release herself from Deke's grip. She walked slowly up to Dom until she was standing directly in front of him, looking down on his bald head. "What are you doing Mia?" he asked, his voice cocky beyond his control.

What happened next made them all wince, including Emma. Mia pulled back and with all her power and force, smacked Dom across the face. The tension was instantly back, and the room was filled with silence. When they thought it was over, she smacked him again. And again. And over and over until her hand was tired. By the time the pounding was over, Dom's left cheek was bruised badly with Mia's hand print on it. He rolled his tongue around in his mouth to control his temper.

"You are a fucking pig Dom. Let's see how many of those fucking groupies are gonna be there when your not King of the Streets. Let's see who's gonna be willing to deal with Jesse's attacks, or Vince's anger, or Leon's nightmares. Will Monica, or Stacy, or Theresa, or Maria, or any of those skanks be there for you the way Letty was? How could you be such a fucking fool Dom? Didn't Dad teach you any better than that?" Everyone knew Mia's words were cutting deep to Dom, but were too afraid to interfere. Dom didn't dare look at the hatred in Mia's eyes. He kept his eyes to the ground, his hands were fists. Everyone knew Anthony Toretto was off limits, but Mia knew that would be the one thing to get to Dom. She hated to use her late father as a way to put Dom down, but nothing else worked. She wanted him to feel as crappy as Letty was. "Dad would be so disappointed in the way you're acting. Partying hard, hardly working, treating Letty like crap. Didn't Dad always say Letty was going to be there, when the fast women were gone and the money was spent? You are a loser Dom," they thought Mia's wrath was over after she finished her words. Dom had tears slowly falling down his face, which was three shades redder than before. Mia's eyes made their way to his pill bottles in his hands and the cream that was in a plastic bag. "Dom, what are these?" she asked slowly.

"They're pain killers. I went to the free clinic downtown. I thought maybe I had caught something from Monica," he said aloud to the whole room, his eyes still on the grown. "But I didn't. Just a really bad rash, the cream is supposed to help the itch. The doc just told me to take a piss after I have sex, to flush out all the semen. Mia, look, baby sis I'm really sorry," Dom tried to apologize. He stood, his eyes filled with so much pain and regret.

"You know I love you Dom, but right now, I can't stand to see your face," and with that, the wrath was over as Mia stormed up to her room, slamming the door behind her.

Dom was left standing there, no dignity, no pride, no baby sister to stand up for him. Emma jumped off the couch, running to Dom's legs. He lifted her up, finding a tiny bit of happiness from her perky attitude.

"Don't cry, the Hulk never cries," Dom's eyes watered again at Emma. She had taken to calling him the Hulk, after he chased her around the front yard, growling and yelling. "Is Letty comin' back?"

"You know, I don't think she is Itty-Bitty," Dom used his nickname for her.

Katie entered the house at the moment, the tension instantly hitting her. "Whoa," she said dramatically. "What killed the mood in here?" Vince smiled and grabbed the cases of beer out of her hands. "There's more in the car."

"I now love this girl," Vince muttered to Leon as they went to help with the beer.


	23. Two Great Dads

**Thanks for the reviews. Luckily, it's summer now so I'll definitely have more time to dedicate to writing. I'm hoping to have this story finished by early July and another started afterwards. So if this seems to go by fast, I apologize. **

_**Monday Morning...**_

Surprisingly, the weekend had gone by with a breeze, much to Deacon's demise. He knew what today was, and he was a nervous wreck. After everything cooled down at the Toretto home, he pulled Vince away and told him about the appointment. Then he made everyone aware that Luna was suing him for full custody of Emma. Mia, of course, threw a fit about it, Vince wanted to throw someone a beating, and Katie wanted to find her and do a number on her. This made Deke laugh, he was happy to have some folks on his side. They all offered to back him in court, if need be. He informed Lou on everything that had been going on, and was happy to hear that Vince and Lou were reconnecting.

As for Dominic and Mia, they still hadn't spoken to each other. Dom made plenty attempts to get his sister's attention, but it was no use. She ignored him, tried to avoid being alone with him, and when he spoke to her, she simply nodded or grunted, the way he did to Letty. Dom made no attempt to contact Letty. He knew he would get worse from her, and he just couldn't take being turned down by both of the women he loved most. Instead, Dominic chose sulking as his new favorite activity. He was boring, depressed, quiet, everything that wasn't Dominic Toretto. And that was only the weekend.

Deacon and Emma were at Lou's garage for the first time in weeks. Emma immediately ran for the boys in the back. Deacon sat with his father in Lou's office as they watched the clerk from his two-way mirror, a redhead named Amber, do her job. Lou looked out the corner of his eyes at Deke, who was sweating profusely.

"Calm down son, don't be so nervous. Look, now you know no matter who the father is of Emma, she'll have a good dad to go home too."

Deacon looked at his father like he was insane. "No matter who the father is?" he asked incredulously, "She's my kid! I raised her from birth! My name is on the birth certificate, she calls me Daddy. I bought her new clothes when I didn't have a dime, I fed her when I didn't have food for myself. She's my kid, that'll never change," Deacon said defensively, obviously stressed out.

"Feel better?" Lou asked. Deke shrugged, but nodded. "All's I'm saying is that you and Vincent are both good guys. You take care of your own and do whatever you have to, to keep them safe and happy. If I was a kid, I'd die to have either of you as a dad," Deke smiled, his heart warmed at Lou's comment.

"Really?"

"Well sure. Don't let this turn into a contest of 'Who's the Better Father'. Don't get too caught up and forget about Emma."

Deacon nodded, taking in all the advice he was given. Lou reached in the locker in the corner of his room and pulled out a white button up shirt and tossed it to Deacon. "Put that on. You're sweating like a pig."

* * *

It was just turning three o'clock and Vince was watching the clock like a hawk. He wanted to get some work done in the shop just to keep his mind off his appointment today. He was currently working on a new Cadillac STS. The customer complained that the brakes were squeaky and she was terrified that they'd give out. He offered to replace them to free her inhibitions. He loaded the car onto the new lift that was installed and pressed the button to lift it into the air. He walked underneath and got to work.

"Yo V, you wanna roll with me and Jess? We're gonna go to the store to get lunch," Leon asked, popping in a fresh toothpick.

"Nah, brother, you two go ahead. I wanna get this car done sometime this week," he smiled, focusing his attention back to the car.

"You all right V? You don't ever turn down a meal, dawg," Leon laughed, playfully slapping Vince's stomach.

"I know, but I'm just nervous about this paternity test. What if she ain't mine, man? That's gonna kill me," Vince admitted, running his hands through his rough beard.

"V, I know how much you love her. We all do. But what about Deke? Think how crushed he'll be if she's not his?" Leon wasn't one for deep moments or heart-to-hearts, but he did have incredible knowledge and advice when one needed it. He walked away to leave Vince with his thoughts.

Over at the store, Mia was up front, head first into the newest book of her reading phase, _In Search of Eden_. It was about a troubled girl who gave birth at a young age and was forced by her cruel mother to put the infant up for adoption. She finds herself going through troubles as little clues lead her to the child she gave up years ago. Mia was too beguiled with her book to give any notice to Dom, who was in the cage working on paperwork. Or even to the loud roar of Leon and Jesse's engines as they parked in front of the store.

"How ya doing Mia?" Jesse greeted as he headed straight for the chip rack. She smiled and waved lazily, not caring to look up. Leon sat at the stool in front of her, trying to get her attention. He ripped up a straw and tossed the pieces at her, finding it hilarious himself.

"What?" she asked with a smile.

"Can we get some grub? Make something special for V will ya? He's a little jittery about his appointment," Leon asked with a wink. Mia nodded and put her book away.

She made Leon and Jesse both turkey and cheese sandwiches, gave them chips and a soda to go along with it. She made Vince a BLT burger with chili fries and a large soda to go with it. The boys knew that would give Vince a little ease, if not, indigestion. They ate their food and dove into conversation about the next All Out Fridays race. Dom was in a trance, too caught up in why the store wasn't making what it should, to hear a familiar roaring engine.

"Oh shit, trouble's here," Mia murmured as Roman and Letty stepped out of Letty's 300Z32. This woke Dom out of his daydream as he turned around to face his ex-love with Roman.

"What's up girl?" Leon asked Letty, already knowing what was coming. She gave him a nod, ruffling Jesse's hair in the process.

"Hey Mia," Roman acknowledged her, sitting next to Jesse on a stool. "Sup Kid?"

Jesse was unsure how to react. He had grown to like Roman, but Dominic was like a father to him. He was afraid he'd disappoint Dom if he spoke to Roman. He looked at the fearless leader, who gave him a silent nod. Jesse smiled, then patted Roman on the back, his way of saying hello.

Letty tried to keep her attention on the boys as they told her about all the new cars that had come to the shop lately. She couldn't fight her gaze that kept traveling to Dom, who was standing at the cage watching them. _He looks so pathetic,_ she told herself. Their intimate and deep stare was cut short as Dominic watched Roman kiss Letty on her cheek. This caught her attention as she turned her lips to meet his. Dom's blood boiled as he watched another man kiss the woman that he loved for so long. He couldn't control his anger as he slammed his fist into the cage. He slung the door to the fridge open, snatching a brew out, and slamming it closed. He stared at Letty with hatred before putting his back to her and getting back to work.

"What's his problem?" Letty asked as she paid for a grilled cheese sandwich.

"Big boy got his balls busted by Mia. Never seen him look so ashamed of himself. Mia didn't take it easy on him either," Leon smirked, happy that someone put Dom in his place. He loved Dom and looked at him like a brother, but he found that arrogant attitude of his annoying.

"Shut up Leon," Mia swatted at him playfully, taking his plate, "He needed to see that rules don't bend for him just because he rules the monkeys down at the warehouses. Dad taught him better," Mia said, wiping down the counter.

"Mia, don't talk about me like I'm not here," he growled, not bothering to face them. Mia rolled her eyes at his statement, still not in the mood to talk to him.

"Anyways, where's Brian?" Jesse asked Roman. Those two were usually glued by the hip, but ever since Brian's leg began healing up, he was able to drive himself around.

"He went to Harry's to catch up with him. But we gotta head out, we're headed to the Nira Circuit races. You guys going?" Roman asked. Letty and Mia winced at the same time. Roman hadn't known about Dominic's dad, nor the fact that Dom was in jail on a manslaughter charge. Because Dom had been barred from the tracks, the gang agreed not to attend the races without him. It was still a touchy subject in the Toretto household

"Jesse and Leon, get back to the garage. You got work to do. I don't pay you for nothing," Dom growled, answering for them.

"Guess not, see you guys later," Leon replied, as he grabbed Vince's lunch and left.

* * *

Deacon sat in the parking lot of the Los Angeles Fertility and Health Clinic, waiting impatiently for Vince. He hadn't told Emma why they were there, only that they had to get a few tests done to clear some things up. Now the only thing holding them back was the fact that it was 3:45 and Vince still wasn't there. He would kill Vince if he didn't show up!

"Is Vince coming?" Emma asked for the umpteenth time. She was rolling a small toy car on her blue sundress.

"I sure hope so," I mumbled, my voice drowned out by the sound of Vince's Galant. He let out a deep breath he was holding and shut off the car. Vince parked next to them.

Deacon was surprised that Vince dressed semi-casual. He wore clean jeans, a black shirt with a blue vest over it and black boots. He trimmed up his beard and his hair still looked wet.

"What took so long?" Deacon questioned as they walked into the clinic.

"I was nervous as shit. I've been looking for something to wear for like an hour!" he exclaimed as they entered the building. Vince and Emma sat in the waiting room while Deacon approached the counter.

"Can I help you sir?" the woman asked.

"Yes, I have an appointment with Dr. Stevens. My name's Deacon Cruz," he said nervously.

"Ok, if you and your party will come on back, we'll put you in a room and Dr. Stevens will be with you as soon as possible," the clerk said politely as she directed the three to a waiting room.

Emma sat in the middle, playing with the kiddie toys as if she hadn't a care in the world. Little did she know that the results of this could change her whole world. Everything she loved and was comfortable with could change in mere hours. Deacon sat staring at the floor, both legs anxiously bouncing in unison. Vince saw this and thought about what Leon said. _Think about how crushed he'll be if he loses her._ Vince knew this was wearing on both of them, but Deke had to be taking the brunt of it all.

"You know something Deke, no matter what happens today, she's walking out of here with a good man taking care of her. Now I don't know what the results are gonna be like, but I just want you to know that you will always be Emma's dad. There's nothing I or a test can to do change that," Deacon looked at Vince like he grew a second head. "Now if it comes out that I'm the father, I'll do my damn best to take care of her. I'll do everything a dad does to take care of his own. I'll take her to races with me, and I'll keep her away from low-life boys, and I'll forbid her to get anything pierced, and I'll push education on her. I'll do everything I can," Deacon couldn't believe his ears. Vince was stepping up to be a dad before they even knew the results.

"You know Vince, you're a good guy. And even if she is mine, I'm gonna want you to always be in her life. Uncle V," Deacon smiled, holding his hand out to Vince. Vince chuckled, slapping hands and bumping knuckles with Deacon. "You'll be a great dad someday Vince. I'm sure of it."

* * *

Vince was first to go into the room with the doc. Deacon and Emma waited patiently in the room for twenty minutes as they did numerous tests on Vince. Deacon read through a nearby racing magazine. Emma stood from the toys on the floor and crawled into the seat next to her dad.

"Daddy, Uncle V might be my real daddy?" Emma asked, her eyes wide and sad. Deacon smirked, he knew he couldn't get anything past his smart daughter.

"Yeah baby, he might be. But no matter what, I'm your daddy, okay? I'll always love you and take care of you Emmanuelle. You are daddy's little girl," Deacon lifted her into his arms, holding close to him.

At that moment, Vince re-entered the waiting room. His eyes were gloomy and he looked like he was a bit nauseas. Deke stopped him as he walked for the door.

"Where you going? How'd it go?" Deacon asked, wondering what had V so stunned.

"I couldn't go through with it. Honestly Deacon, I really don't want to know who the father is. I was in there and I was thinking,'How devastating is it going to be when she belongs to the other?' I mean, I think that'll destroy us both, and I don't want to put Emma in the middle of it. So, I'm leaving," Vince finished, his eyes filled with tears.

"You know this doesn't mean anything Vince. I still want you to be around for Emma. She adores you," Deacon said. He smiled as he watched Vince's eyes sparkle with adoration of the little girl, who was currently back to playing with the toys.

"You sound like we just broke up, geez, relax bro. I'm not going anywhere. She's my favorite little niece," he growled as he picked her up and swung her around in the air.

The two walked out of the clinic without anymore time wasted. A weight was lifted from both of their shoulders and it was easier to breathe now that they weren't panicking over the paternity test. Yeah, they still had the custody battle against Luna to stress over, but that wasn't for another two weeks. Deacon and Vince agreed that they wouldn't worry about who the real father was, but more that Emma had a good family to be around. Deacon was sure that the Team was more than a great family and she was exactly where she belonged – with them.

* * *

**I know this chapter was short but I wasn't sure where to stop it. I decided to make it to where no one would know who the real father was. I think I'd be crushed personally either way, so this works for me lol. I hope you like it. Read and Review!**


	24. Put It to the Test

**I would say thanks for the reviews, but I haven't been getting any! I know that I didn't update very often, but it's becoming more frequent. I'm gonna need to know if people are still reading this, if not, I'm just going to discontinue this story. I don't want too because I like it, but I don't want to write if no ones reading. So help me out! Thanks!**

* * *

(Letty)

There was a distinct silence in my car as I drove Rome and I to the Nira Circuit races in Glendale. Ever since we left the café, ever since I saw that look on Dom's face when Roman mentioned the races, my gut had been telling me that I was wrong. What I was doing with Roman was wrong. It told me that I shouldn't be with Roman, I should go back to Dominic. _Go back and deal with the pain, you had so many other times, _it kept telling me. Sure, I still loved Dominic and I think a part of me would always love him, but I did not love the way he treated me. I didn't love the different girls he fucked when he wasn't with me. I didn't love the fights or the jealously or the rage. But I dealt with it because Dominic was my dream man.

He was everything I wanted and needed, everything I craved.

But now things were different. Now Dom craved everything in a short skirt. And at the moment, I was in dire need of a good man. Now, I didn't know Roman that well, and I didn't know what he was about. But from what I've seen in this month that he's been here, he has been the most incredible, gentle giant that I've met. Brian told me that Roman didn't have the clearest record when it came to keeping women, so I wasn't expecting marriage and kids, or the whole nine yards. But for now, it was good to have company that wasn't Dom.

"Tell me," Roman said, snapping me out of my daze.

I looked at him confused, "Tell you what?"

"You know what I'm talking about Letty. Why'd you and Mia spook when I mentioned the races?"

"That's just bad history," I replied, hoping he'd drop it. But one thing I knew about Roman, he wasn't one to drop anything. "Look, to make a long story short, some bad shit when down at the Circuit races, and Dom was eventually banned from them. We all promised we wouldn't go without him," I felt my voice crack as images of Tony's burning car ran through my mind.

"Letty you want me to be straight up with you right?" I nodded, "well you have to be straight up with me. What could've been so bad that got you and Mia scared like that?"_ God for once Roman, mind your fucking business_.

I pulled down a side street and turned into an apartment complex. I turned my car off and took a deep breath.

"Dom's dad was Anthony Toretto."

"Holy shit, the Stock Circuit driver?" I nodded, feeling proud to have known the man. "Damn, he was a bad motherfucker. I used to go to his races sometimes with my cousins. Sad how he died, I would've killed that punk he put him in that wall if he was my dad," he said.

"Yeah well Dom tried to," Ro's eyebrows were through the roof. "Don't act like your surprised. He saw the guy a week later, beat him with a wrench, did two years in Lompoc on a manslaughter charge. He got five years but only did two for good behavior, but he was banned from the tracks for life. So we all promised we wouldn't go without him. It just wouldn't be the same," I said this looking out the window, tears in my eyes. I didn't want Roman to see me upset so much, plus, I hated crying. It showed vulnerability, and I hated being vulnerable.

I was so dazed into my own emotions that I didn't even notice Roman getting out the car. He walked around to my side and opened the door. He scooped me up in his arms and carried me to the passenger side, sitting me down. He got in my car and put it in reverse, speeding back towards home.

I barely noticed we pulled up to the store. _He must hate me now_, I thought to myself.

"What are we doing here?" I asked him. Through the windshield, I could see Dom back in the cage still working. Mia was reading a book, which made me wonder...Why doesn't she ever work? Vince pulled up at the same time, waving in the car at me. I wondered how his paternity test went.

"Go get Mia," he ordered, not saying much else. I did as I was told, sitting at a stool next to V.

"How'd it go bro?" I asked him casually.

"We didn't go through with it," both Mia and I gasped. _Totally didn't see that coming._

"Why man? I thought you wanted to know," I asked.

"Well I did. But I just decided that things are better the way they are now. It wouldn't be right to just change Emma's life so suddenly. Plus, I'm just as good an uncle than a dad," he smiled. It was obvious that Emma made Vince happy. I never would've thought a child so small and fragile (and sort of pushy) could change Ol' Coyote into a lovable guy.

"Good for you bro. Mia, you busy?" I asked.

"We've had a few customers, here and there, why? I thought you two were, you know..." she stopped, not wanting to mention the races again.

"Naw, I decided it wouldn't be any fun," I said aloud, knowing by the way that he sat up, I had gotten Dom's attention. "Get your shit, you're coming with me," I smiled at the back of Dom's head.

"Mia, you aren't done here," Dom spoke calmly from behind the cage.

"I am now Dom," she smirked, walking around the counter to my car.

"Who's gonna run this place? I can't do that and the books at the same time!" he grumbled as he stood from his seat.

"Katie's on her way, dawg. She might be able to hang around for a bit and watch the place," Vince spoke up, making me smile.

"Thanks V, let's go Mia," I pulled her to the car.

We got in and Roman pulled off.

"I need directions to Deacon's place," Roman spoke to Mia through the rear-view mirror. I wanted to ask questions, instead I sat back and enjoyed the ride.

* * *

(Dom)

After Katie arrived at the store, I decided I had enough of paperwork. I told V to lock up at eight o'clock as I pulled off toward the house. After driving in a depressing silence, I pulled my Road Runner in the garage next to the house. Upon entering my room, I finally noticed how empty it looked. None of Letty's knickknacks were lying around, all of her jewelry was gone. All of our pictures were gone, all but one. One of her and I when we were younger. I felt the tears burning at my eyes. I launched the picture frame at the door, watching it shatter to pieces.

I became angry always. When I was upset, I rarely cried. No, I became furious. I'd feed that need to crush something by hitting the punching back in the shed where the Charger is parked.

Was parked. I can't believe that I totalled the car my father and I built together. The car he loved more than he loved racing. The car he passed down to me to continue his legacy in Stock Circuit racing.

I was so broken down. I was exhausted from my lack of sleep, I couldn't eat anything without his threatening to come back up, and my rash was only slowly going away. Thankfully, I tested negative for all those STDs. Doc said something about the backup of semen in me, and I only had a bad rash. It was easily treatable and I was happy for that. That still didn't help for the pain I was feeling emotionally.

"Yo D, you all right brother?" Vince asked, snapping me out of my daze. He was standing in the doorway of my room.

"V, what the hell has my life come too? I lost my parents, my girlfriend, Mia, the Charger, hell, I almost lost you and Jesse. Mia's right, I am a fucking loser," I put myself down. Vince walked over and sat on the bed next to me.

"What the hell is going on? I've never heard big-bad Dominic Toretto belittle himself. You cocky son of a bitch, don't you get all unsure of yourself now. Look, shit happens Dom. Things in life get fucked up so bad that you don't know if they could be fixed. But there's only one way to find out and that's if you get off your depressed ass and do somethin'," Vince always the one to give me the angriest advice.

"You think Letty and I could be fixed?" I asked, running my hands over my prickly face. _I need to shave._

Vince sighed deeply, a look of exasperation on his face. "Honestly, no."

"Excuse me?" I wasn't expecting that answer.

"Well come on, man. Don't take this the wrong way, but you haven't exactly been a great boyfriend to Letty over these years. All the women you slept with, she knew about 'em Dom. Letty's not dumb like those chasers. She sees everything. Even though she doesn't show it, she hurts just like everyone else. Now I don't like how things have changed, but maybe Letty needs to be away from you," Vince really wasn't helping right now.

"No, please Vincent, tell me how you really feel," I replied sarcastically.

"I'm sorry, dawg. But she's come to me too many times upset at you, and I've always had to be the one to fix it. I'm tired of fixing it Dominic. And personally, I think Letty's tired of it too."

"So what should I do?" I asked.

"Let her be happy. If she doesn't come back to you, then let her be. Be happy that she's alive and well and satisfied. If she does come back, you better get your shit together, bro. Keep this up and you'll lose her forever," Vince said, his brutal honesty making my heart break. He was right. Never thought I'd say that, but Vince was right. I gave him a skeptical look, curious as to how he was giving me relationship advice, seeing as he hadn't had a real one in ages. He read my mind, "you learn a lot loving a girl who loves someone else." I knew he was talking about Mia, and I felt bad. I had always kept him away from Mia because I knew he was a player. _What a hypocrite I am._

"Thanks man. What are you guys doing for the rest of the night?" I asked, hoping to have a little fun to lift my spirits.

"We're rounding everyone up and going clubbin'. Get ready bro, tonight we put it all to the test," Vince smirked, then left my room.

* * *

(No POV)

Letty held onto the 'holy shit' handle as Roman ripped through the ocean side next to a supped up BMW.

After picking up Mia, Roman drove them to Deacon's house, where he was relaxing with Emma. Roman told Deacon to lead him to the rich kids they raced earlier in their visit to L.A. Letty and Mia had no idea what was going on, but they sat back for the ride. Deacon dropped Emma off at Lou's house for the night after begging her him all day. He only let her because he wanted to pick up the Mustang on the way.

Upon reaching the "rich" side of L.A., Deacon instructed Roman between the two mansions, as usual, finding the rich kids playing around in their backyard. Mia couldn't help but think how lucky they were to live right next to the ocean. Derek, the leader of the rich crew, was happy to see Roman back. He was itching for a rematch against him.

"Look who's back, my favorite homeboy," Derek smirked, leaning off his Viper. "What can I do for ya?"

"Come back to win some more of yo' money, _homeboy_," Roman snarled, smiling at Derek.

"Let's do twenty grand," Roman rolled his eyes. _Easy money_. "...Each."

Roman had to think about it. He kept a good load of the money in the trunk of Letty's car, but he wasn't sure if he could race all those cars.

"Roman, don't do it man. You beat that Viper, but ain't no way you're beating that 'Vette or Ferrari.. The BMW, maybe. Let's just go bro," Deacon tried to pull Roman away from the race.

"You're on. Who's first?" Roman smirked, opening Letty's trunk and pulling out the knapsack full of cash.

Letty rode shotgun with Roman on all his races, which he didn't mind at all. He actually thought she might be his good luck charm. He easily beat the Viper, again by two car lengths, earning them twenty grand. His second race was against Jordan, who was driving the BMW. He barely made it across the finish line in first, but he did, and won another twenty grand. Derek was beyond pissed that Roman was beating every member of his crew. Roman continued to talk trash as he readied himself for his next race, the Corvette.

"You got a big mouth, you know that?" Letty smirked as she finger-combed her hands through her messy hair. The breeze from the races were ruining her hair.

"I've heard that a few times," Rome smiled, tossing a potato chip in his mouth. He revved the engine to the 300Z32, preparing for the race.

Over in the Mustang, Mia snuggled up against Deacon in the driver seat. After explaining to her what went down at the clinic, she felt proud of him. She knew it was hard for him not knowing who the real father was, but she was happy that he wouldn't stress about it anymore.

"What's eating at you?" she asked, noticing he wasn't that interested in the race.

"Trying to get in the zone. You think your brother remembers our race Thursday?" Deacon asked. By the surprised look on her face, it appeared that she forgot too. "Take that as a no. Hope he knows," Deacon said.

"How's Vince been doing with his diet? I saw he had a few beers Friday night," he wanted to change the subject.

"He's doing all right. Dom doesn't let him drink nearly as much beer as usual. Katie's always cooking him something healthy, he actually likes the salads. This morning I cooked him a BLT at the store. Something to cheer him up," Mia explained, squealing with excitement as Roman was first back at the starting line.

Deacon closed up the night by winning the last and final race against the Ferrari. Thanks to awfully bad driving by Joshua, he won the cash easily. Roman and Deacon took home eighty grand that night, and were on their way back to Letty's when Mia received a phone call.

"What is it Leon?" Mia snarled, not in the mood to talk to anyone but Deacon.

"Dom said for everyone to get ready, we're going clubbin' tonight," was all Leon said before hanging up. Mia squealed with excitement, causing Deke to jump.

"You okay?" he asked, smiling at her. He liked when she was perky.

"Okay, I need to call Letty. I have to ride with her home. We're all going out tonight."

Deacon rolled his eyes as he and Roman pulled into a convenience store nearby. Mia kissed Deacon before hopping out and running over to Letty's car. Deacon told her he'd meet her at the house after he was done getting ready. As he arrived at the apartment complex, Katie was pulling in at the same time.

"You going out with us tonight?" he asked her as they walked together up the stairs.

"Yeah, they said we're going to some club their friend owns," Katie replied, unlocking her apartment door.

"This shall be fun," Deacon said dryly. He wasn't one for going out, especially to clubs.

* * *

The Toretto house was full of people. Mia and Katie were squealing, anxious to leave for the club. The men were just as excited, especially Leon, who said he couldn't wait to "find some hoes". They were waiting for Brian, Roman, and Letty to arrive, and Dominic to finish dressing. The Team were dressed in their best and couldn't wait to flaunt their stuff.

"Light a fire under your ass Dominic, their here!" Mia yelled as she heard the two cars pull up.

Dom growled as he put on the gray and black beanie Jesse bought him one Christmas. He snapped on his chain and grabbed his jacket, leaving his room. He stood at the top of the staircase listening to the voices downstairs. His heart jumped when he heard Letty's. _Be happy that she's alive and well and satisfied_, Vince's words played in his head. He tossed on his gray leather jacket and bounded down the stairs.

"Finally!" Jesse howled as he ran to the door. He grabbed his keys off the hanger and ran to his car.

Dom smiled at his family, they were a good looking bunch. His gaze caught Mia's as she stared at him, somewhat happily. His body filled with hope as he opened his arms, his eyes pleading for a hug. She almost ran into his arms, wrapping her arms around his waist tight. Dominic kissed the top of her head, always loving the smell of Mia's shampoo.

"You look good," he whispered to her. She was wearing a denim skirt that was almost like second skin, a red backless halter top, and red high heels that tied up her long legs.

She looked up at him, astonished he hadn't made he go change like usual. "So do you, you stud," she kissed his cheek.

Deacon approached, wrapping his arm around Mia's shoulder. "Don't forget, Thursday your ass is mine," Deacon reminded Dom as they walked away.

"Promise?" Dom asked sarcastically, showing he hadn't forgotten about his race against Deke. The rest of the Team filed out, leaving an unsuspecting Dominic alone with Letty.

She was standing at the door, her arms crossed as Dom walked into the kitchen. He took his pain killers from a cabinet, popped two, then put them back. As he re-entered the living room, he noticed Letty standing there. He was frozen in place, staring at the beautiful being that was now his ex-girlfriend. She wore a red shear tank top, her bra evident. The leather skirt she wore went perfect with her tanned legs. Dom smirked slightly as he noticed she was wearing the flame boots her bought her on her sixteenth birthday. _She hasn't worn those in years._

"I didn't know those still fit," he tried to make conversation.

"Me either," she said lowly. "I'm sorry for how things turned out D-" she tried to apologize but Dom cut her off.

"Don't Let. You have nothing to be sorry for. You called me on my bullshit, brought me back to reality. I needed it, so thanks."

Another awkward second went by before either spoke.

"Does he make you happy?" Dom knew the answer to this would seal his fate.

"Never as happy as you did. I don't think I'll find that anywhere," she said, tears forming in her eyes. She tried to keep her crying to a minimum. "I'm just trying to start fresh, ya know. I think we grew apart long before that day. We just didn't know it until now," Letty was now standing inches from him, her voice cracking.

"I think you're right. Some things are left best unsaid, ya know. I want you to come back to the garage. You're the best female mechanic and racer out there. Pwease?" Dom begged, a lopsided smile on his face. Letty never could refuse that smile.

"On one condition..."

"You got it."

"Give Roman his job back too. You know you could use the extra hands," Dom took a deep breath. He didn't plan on being friends with Roman, but he knew he needed to do it for Letty.

"Ok, but on one condition..." he smiled.

Letty rolled her eyes, "What?"

"Promise you'll be my friend? That's all I want, a friendship..." he trailed off, hoping she'd agree.

"Of course, you big lug. Now come on, we need to get going before they get cranky," Letty grabbed a pair of keys for Dom and tossed them to him. She wrapped her arm around Dom's waist and they left the house, ready to have a good time.


	25. The New King

**Thanks for the reviews. I'm not much of a Letty/Rome fan either, but you have to keep reading to see what happens with the two.**

* * *

(Dom)

As Letty and I exited the house, I noticed the keys she gave me weren't to my Road Runner. I walked to the backyard, noticing two other cars with tarps pulled over them. I pressed the button of the key, watching the lights to a car blink on. I pulled the tarp off, instantly smiling at my ride. My Impreza. I had forgotten completely about my new rides. I jumped in the car, ready to get a feel on it.

I grabbed the talkie that I had Jesse install inside, "Pull out guys. Follow Vince."

The club we were headed to was about half an hour away, so I decided to take the back roads to test out the Impreza. I pulled off onto a dirt road between a galore of buildings. It was about half a mile long, with roadways in between. I sat up and mashed on the gas, picking up speed through the alley. I shifted gears as the car seemed to almost be taking flight. I looked at the dash, "150," I said aloud. I turned on the radio while keeping my eyes on the street. All it took was one distraction and I'd be dead. Hit the Light's "Save Your Breath" came blaring from the radio as I continued zooming through the empty road. _Jesse must've left his CD in here. _I pressed the button to the radio, and was content when tolerable rock music played.

"Dom, where the hell are you?" Vince's voice came through on the talkie. I carefully grabbed it, noticing I was coming up on a dead end.

"Took the back roads. I'm trying out the Impreza!" I yelled, tossing it on the seat. I took a deep breath and grabbed the E-brake, drifting my car quickly out of the alleyway. I barely missed two cars as I took a hard right, ending up in front of the Team.

"Keep driving like that and they'll be scraping you up from the road!" Katie exclaimed over the talkie in Vince's car.

"Come on Kate, you know you like it fast," I said sarcastically, hearing Vince growl in the background.

We continued the drive another ten minutes before we arrived at the vibrant club, Blue Iguana. Our friend, Barry, owned the club and often let us come down and hang out free of charge. We all parked in the back and met up around front. I tossed my arm around Jesse's neck playfully as we rudely skipped line. The bouncer, Rueger, gave us a nod and let us through the rope without question.

We instantly headed to the bar and ordered drinks.

"All right guys, easy on the drinks. Nobody drives home drunk," I warned them. I looked at Vince, who was about to happily toss down a Corona. "Oh no you don't," I took the beer out of his hands.

"What the hell Dom?" Vince growled angrily.

"Did you forget about your heart attack a few weeks ago? Doc said cut down on beers, so that's what your gonna do. Yo Jake," I called the bartender.

"What can I do for ya Dom?" he asked politely.

"Keep some Coke coming for Vince here," I felt bad for not allowing Vince to have a few beers and kick back, but I'll be damned if I let him have another heart attack. I could tell he wanted to throw a fit, but instead he pulled Katie to the dance floor.

"You know that was dirty bro," Brian remarked as he took a stool next to me. I handed him Vince's beer, and we both smiled at the memory.

"So how'd you get in bad with what'sisname?" I asked Brian.

"Heathrow Desamis. I got greedy and I got stupid. Money makes a man change. You know that," I narrowed my eyes in question. Brian was known for saying the wrong thing at the wrong time.

"What do you mean I know that? What does that mean?" I asked defensively.

"Come on Dom. You know you shouldn't have done that last truck. The money was good, and you got greedy. And no matter what, you wanted to get more money. Even when Mia begged you not to go, you couldn't turn away from the opportunity," I kept my anger in check, but Brian was pushing it.

"First off, don't ever pretend like you know how I'm feeling or what I'm thinking, O'Connor. Second, I had to find a way to provide for my family. I did what I had to do to keep food on the table for us. So don't throw that shit at me," I turned to face the crowd and looked at the members of my crew. They were near each other, all dancing and having a good time. "They're fed and that's all that matters to me."

(No POV)

Mia, Letty, and Katie all stumbled to the bar, sweating and panting heavily. Dom just looked at them with raised eyebrows.

"Who knew Vince, Deke, and Rome knew how to dance. God they're killing us. We had to ditch 'em," Katie screamed to Dominic over the music. Dom clenched his jaw at the thought of Letty and Rome, but smiled instead.

The women all ordered shots of Tequila and Rum. Dom watched as they continuously tossed back the liquor.

"Don't you ladies think you should slow down a bit?" Dom asked, knowing it was going through one ear and out the other.

"Why don't you go away and let us drink?" Mia slurred. _She always was a light-weight._

Dom turned his back to the bar as he scanned the room. He noticed a pretty brunette girl at a booth with her friends, and they were all looking at Dom. He followed Mia's advice, taking his drink over to the booth.

"Hello ladies," he grinned, his deep, baritone voice smooth.

The Team partied hard until the place was closing. Letty, Mia, and Katie stumbled clumsily out of the bar, all holding their heels in their hands. The boys walked behind, laughing at their antics. Leon and Jesse both picked up girls that night and wasted no time getting to their cars. They all enjoyed their night, including Vince, who got over not getting drunk. Dom had engaged in conversation with several girls, but didn't invite any back to the Fort. He figured that he wasn't in the mood for one night stands.

* * *

Everything started to look up for the Team over the course of a few days. Deacon spent more time with the Team and didn't mind when Vince wanted to spend time with Emma. Roman got his job back at the garage, and even made an attempt to bury the hatchet with Dom. Dom agreed, but stayed cautious of Roman's intentions with Letty. If he couldn't have her, he didn't want anyone hurting her.

Letty also returned to the garage, leaving the rest of the Team happy. They had no comic relief without Letty, no one to correct Leon when he was wrong about something, no one to tease Vince about his mangy beard. Letty had no idea the Team thought so strongly of her, and couldn't have been more happy to be back.

Dom was currently in his office going over paperwork while the rest of the Team worked in the garage on their latest project: the '89 Dodge Charger he bought from a junk yard. He wanted to rebuild the legacy that his father carried on for years. Even if not on a pro-track, maybe in the streets. Mia and Katie offered to open the store, seeing as how the garage was way too full of men.

Dom poked his head out of his office, "Letty, can I talk to you for a minute?"

She crawled out from under the Charger. Roman gave her a skeptical look, but received shrugged shoulders in reply. She entered Dom's office, smudging the grime on her hands on her work pants.

"What is it?" she asked, blowing her stray hairs from her face.

"Did you get a list of the parts I asked?" Dom asked, not looking up from his paperwork.

"Yeah, it's right-" she pointed to it on his desk, "there. Dom, what'd you really want?" she asked, frustrated that he lied.

"I just wanted to know how you were doing. You and Rome seem kind of ... distant, from each other lately," he asked, true concern in his brown eyes.

"I mean, things are just kinda rough right now. You were the only man I was with for so long, so it's hard to adjust to him," Dom nodded, his lips in a tight line. Letty felt her eyes burning and looked away. "Sometimes, I don't want to adjust."

Dom was about to speak when Leon burst into the room. He received a death glare from Dom, but brushed it off.

"Chill out dawg, we got another customer. Remember that kid from the last race? The one we put a beatin' on?" Leon asked, toothpick bobbing from his lips. Dom nodded, running his hands over his head. This is not how he planned the conversation to go. "Well his pissed off mom is out here. She's smoking hot too!" Leon grinned, leaving the office.

"Hey, maybe we can go somewhere to talk. Just you and me..." Dom trailed off, hoping to get back on subject.

"I don't know if that's a good idea Dom."

"Yo man, you better come get her before Leon does!" Jesse's head poked in the office. By then, Dom was frustrated and had given up hope of trying to talk to Letty in private. He angrily stood from his desk, his old leather chair crashing against the back wall. Letty winced, but followed after him.

"Are you Dominic Toretto?" the woman asked. _Wow, she isn't bad looking_, Dom thought, mentally slapping himself afterward. The woman was in her mid-40s, with straight brown hair and green eyes. Her face was wrinkle-free, and she was dressed in a tube top and capris.

"That's the hottest mom I've ever seen!" Vince chimed, Jesse and Leon agreeing.

"Yes ma'am, what can I do for you?" Dom faked a smile at her. He could tell she was upset about something.

"Did you do this to my son?" she asked, pointing to the boy from the last race. Both of his eyes were badly bruised and he had a busted lip.

"No ma'am I didn't," Dom told her. "Those two did," Dom smirked as the smile was wiped off Vince and Leon's faces.

"Why the hell did you beat up on my son?! He is only seventeen, I could have you hoodlums put in jail for this! Give me one good reason why I shouldn't press charges?" they certainly weren't ready for the womans tirade.

"It was his own fault, ma'am," Vince retaliated. "He was at the street races and bet the slip to his car he would win. He lost, and tried to run," Vince finished, as if it was that simple.

"Look, we take the races serious. If you bet the pink slip to your car, you better be damn sure you're gonna win. And if you lose, don't be a sore loser. Give up what you put up and leave," Jesse stood up for his friends.

Suddenly, the woman turned on her child, who was grinning slyly. She smacked him upside his head.

"What the hell is wrong with you Rodrigo? The Deminguez's have never been cowards! We always stood to our word. I can't believe you," she pulled him out of the shop by his ear, cursing him in Spanish. The Team laughed and went back to work.

* * *

"Guys, let's go!" Dom yelled from the threshold of the Toretto home. He was waiting for Leon and Vince to finish getting dressed.

Tonight was the night. Dom was going against Deacon in a quarter mile race for ownership of the 'King of the Streets' title. The gang decided that were going to a secluded area to race, mainly to keep the police off their tail. They knew that by going to the warehouses, the police would be keeping a look out for any car that had a slight modification. Instead, the Team all drove together twenty miles outside of L.A. to a deserted road. It was Dom's sanctuary, considering was the only one of the Toretto gang to know about it.

As he pulled up to the desert road, which stretched for three miles, he noticed Deacon was there with a few unknown faces. They were all standing in front of a navy-blue SUV when Dom and the Team approached him.

"Sup y'all?" Deacon asked, his southern drawl thick, causing Mia to shiver with pleasure.

"I thought we decided it'd be a 'private' party?" Dom asked, using quotations to emphasize his point.

"It is. But when I told my boys back at the garage I had a one-on-one race for the title against Dominic Toretto, they begged to tag along," Deacon smirked, obviously cracking on Dom's popularity. "Anyways, this is Dan, Ingram, Pete, and Mikey," the boys shook hands with Dom and his crew. "And that handsome young'n right there is Lou Montgomery, mine and Vince's dad," Deacon smiled proudly at Vince, who returned a nod.

"That's your dad V? I didn't know you had a dad!" Jesse exclaimed.

"Of course he does, Jess!" Leon popped him in his head, laughing a bit. Mia scolded him for it.

Dominic and Lou shook hands, for it was the first time meeting since Vince and Dom were teenagers.

"My have you grown Dominic. Look at'cha, already bald like me," the man pulled Dominic into an embrace, making Dom's eyes water.

"Yeah, it's been a while Lou. How's business going?" Dom asked politely.

"Business is sweet. I heard you still got DT Automechanics still running like new, huh?"

"Of course," Dom smiled lopsided, his heart overjoyed with seeing Lou. "Shall we do this?" Dom questioned, walking back over to his Road Runner.

Brian and Jesse drove a quarter of a mile down to spray paint the finish line, though it was difficult considering the dirt. Letty, Rome, Vince, Mia, Katie, Emma, and Deacon's crew watched from the sidelines, all anxious for the outcome of this race. Leon manned the scanners in case they were followed by other racers and cops were informed.

"All right boys, this is for the title of King of the Streets. Both of you are the best racers out there, but only one can be King. This is how it's gonna go down," Lou called the race from between the cars. "Y'all race to the line, winner takes the title. There's one stipulation..."

Everyone looked at Lou in question. The Team knew nothing about a 'special rule'.

"No NOS. Straight muscle down the strip. Run your cars the way they were meant to be ran. Agreed?" he looked at both Dom and Deacon. They looked at each other, then back at Lou, nodding their heads.

Dominic took a deep breath before lifting his passenger seat and turning off the NOS tanks. He turned on his CD player, "Rock Star" by N.E.R.D blared through his speakers. He smiled at the irony and strapped himself in the harness. He revved his engine a few times, waiting for the race to start. _I already beat him once, this will be a piece of cake_, Dom thought to himself.

Deke took out his picture of Emma from his sun-visor and kissed it for good luck. He shook of his nerves and strapped himself in. Dom had already beaten him once, and knew he couldn't take that anguish twice. No, he needed to beat Dom once and for all. He needed to regain his title as King. While the Team was absent, Deacon was the main man to beat. He was faster than everyone, but he was humble. Not nearly as cocky as Dominic had been, which made people respect him more than fear him.

The attention of both men diverted to Lou, who was standing in between both cars. The Team had already decided to wait on the other end of the strip, anxious to see the winner. As Lou rose his hands, both Deacon and Dom revved their engines. Within three seconds, he dropped his hands and both cars flew off the line.

A huge cloud of smoke and dust spun around in the air as the cars tore up the strip. Dom was easily in the lead, his Road Runner gaining two cars lengths on Deacon. Deacon remained calm, but shifted gears as he tried to catch Dominic. Dom tried his best to ignore the sounds of tiny pebbles destroying the sides and bottom of his car. Should have went to the warehouses, he thought. While his attention was diverted, he barely noticed Deacon's Mustang flying past him.

"Sonuvabitch!" Dom growled, getting his focus back.

His Road Runner caught up easily as he shifted gears aggressively.. They were neck and neck, and the finish line was mere feet away. Somebody had to do something quick if they wanted to win. The two muscle cars exchanged the lead several times, leaving both crews in suspense.

"Damn they're close!" Brian exclaimed.

"This is gonna be tight," Letty said to Mia, her face skeptical.

Dom looked over at Deacon, who's face read pure need. He needed this win. To Dom, being the King meant fast women, power, and a few thousand dollars every Friday night. It meant people would be eating out of the palm of his hand and getting a discount on all new car parts coming into any shop in the region. Dominic had held the title of King of the Streets for almost four years, and he hadn't gotten much out of it that profited his or his family's well being.

Dominic knew this being king would mean more to Deacon. It meant he'd be able to get into better races, therefore, earning more money for him and his daughter. He'd get the recognition statewide that Dominic had, which would eventually bring out the rich boys. Hell, maybe he'd even be able to open up a shop of his own. This was more of a _dream_ to Deke than a title.

"First O'Connor, now this kid. Damn, I'm getting soft," Dom whispered to himself. He punched down on the accelerator, the speedometer reading 165 mph, he was for sure he had it in the bag. Just as he watched the highlighter green line come into view, Deacon's Mustang pushed forward anxiously, crossing just half a car length in front of Dom.

He had lost.

Dom gave it all he had, but he lost fair and square to the kid with the good head on his shoulders. He smiled as he slowed his car a few yards away, doing a 180 and heading back to the finish line.

As he approached, he found every one clapping. Deacon was already sitting on his car, but they were all looking at him, smiling and clapping. Dom was confused.

"Shouldn't the round of applause be for the winner?" he asked quizzically, sitting on the hood of his car.

"Yeah, you both ran one hell of a race though. The new king..." Lou started, but Dom interrupted him.

"Let me do the honors, Lou," the elderly man backed away and Dom stepped forward.

Deacon sat up on his car, a smile of irony of his face. _The guy who beat me once for the title, as cocky as they come, is now passing it down to me so cordially._

"Deacon, I've beaten a lot of people in my day. Very rarely have I been beat. I'm honored that it was to you. You are a good kid and other than these guys, no one else in this world deserves it more than you. I admire your determination. I'm happy to introduce the King of the Streets; King Cruz," Dom smiled at Deke, chuckling as Vince and Leon lifted him into the air.

After deciding to go back to the Toretto house for celebration, everyone began pulling off. Just as Dominic was getting into his car, he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Did you let him win?" Letty asked, her eyes glassy.

Dom instantly felt his blood boiled. He loved winning too much to give away a battle to someone, and Letty knew that. "Letty, Deke won fair and square. I ran my car to the best of my abilities. I guess it's a sign. I can't hold that spot forever you know," Dom said, his voice full of exhaustion.

"After the races tomorrow, we're having the party at my house," Dom was about to erupt, but she stopped him. "Shut up and listen. My house is bigger and people won't be as cramped. My first instincts were not to invite you, but I want you to come. After things settle down there, we can talk. Deal?" Letty quirked an eyebrow and smiled, a move that made Dom tight in the jeans.

"Deal," he smiled, shaking her soft hand. He held it a second too long, not wanting to lose the feel of her skin beneath his. Letty wasn't exactly yanking her hand away, either. She gave him one last smile before turning away.


	26. Taking it Slow

**Thanks for the reviews. Sorry for the wait.**

* * *

"You guys ready to go?" Mia asked as she and Katie came down the stairs at the same time. Of course everyone was ready to go, for they were especially late because of the girls.

Dom locked up the house after everyone had dispersed to their cars. Dom got in his Road Runner and backed down the driveway, in front of the formation. He picked up with talkie.

"Cruz, come here," he called. Soon enough, Deacon's Mustang came purring next to Dom's car.

"Shouldn't we be leaving? What's taking so long?" he asked impatiently.

"Waiting on the King. Get up front and guide us, your majesty," Dom said sarcastically, rolling his window up before Deke had time to respond. Mia smiled at her brother through the window, although she knew he wasn't paying attention.

He felt slightly uncomfortable, but did as he was required. He suddenly felt powerful, leading the baddest crew of racers to dominate the tarmac tonight. For once, he could run things at the races and not have to worry about Dom interfering. Now, Deke was the man to beat. He was the King of the Streets. He would have all the power and respect he could ask for.

_Tonight will be a good night_.

(Deke)

As we arrived at the Races, the crowd of people parted like the Red Sea. Words could be heard as to why I was in the front of the pack, not Dominic. I continued for a few feet, stopping in Dom's usual spot, right in the center of the crowd. I took a deep breath before I exited the car; race night always did put my nerves on edge. Mia walked around to my side, grabbing my hand for comfort.

As the rest of the Team began exiting their cars, Dom only leaned against his.

"Yo Dom, who's running the races?!" one person asked, causing an uproar with the crowd.

"Cruz is. He's the new King. Treat him with the same respect as you did me. Any problems, I'll be the one to handle 'em. We clear?" Dom's baritone voice boomed clearly through the crowd. He gave me a wink and smiled. The crowd responded with chants of "King Cruz", which made my heart beat a little faster than normal. "You're in Kid. Do me proud," Dom said with a sly smile.

"Alright, let's get started."

As quickly as the words left my mouth did people instantly try to buy into the first All-Out match. Because we were still helping out Brian and Roman, all the winnings went to them tonight. It sucked having to give up all our money to these punks, but Mia have convinced me it was the right thing to do.

"So we got Roman, Edwin, Hector, and Tai for the first race," I announced to the crowd.

* * *

(No POV)

As usual, the Races were going just at Team Toretto planned. The cops kept busy in Glendale on a drive-by that killed two men. The Team hated relying on such awful situations to happen so they'd be able to race in peace, but it was a part of life. Roman had won the first race, which was a 5G buy-in. Over the course of the night, the Team had won three out of the five races, and things were looking to stay the same. That was, until...

"Wait, you hear that?" Jesse asked Dom as they stood together, waiting for the next race. Dom stopped listening to Hector, his ears focusing clearly.

"Oh shit, yo we got cops! Go! Go!" Dom roared, sending everyone into an immediate scatter.

"They must've came in quiet, figured they catch us off guard. Get out of here! Tell Hector to lead everyone to Letty's house," Leon yelled through the talkie to the others.

Considering the fact that he had no idea where Letty's "house" was, Dominic was beginning to panic. He'd be damned if he was going back to jail, but he couldn't find the others. On cue, Jesse's Jetta stopped next to his car, motioning for him to follow. Dom didn't hesitate to mash on the gas, nearly missing a police cruiser. He was surprised by Jesse's skill to maneuver in and out of the pedestrians and cars. He had seen Jesse drive a few times, but he wasn't that good of a racer.

"Look at you now, Kid," Dom smirked as Jesse led him through a small alleyway, where he noticed the taillights of other cars.

"Everyone make it out all right?" Dom asked on his talkie. The Team responded, confirming that they were in front of Jesse, on their way to Letty's.

_So this is the place_, Dom asked himself as he pulled up outside Letty's house. _I see why she left, this place is huge_.

Everyone packed into Letty's house, which she didn't seem to mind. The Team knew there was plenty of room, and it was a cozy spot to hang out at. Letty accompanied the help of Roman and Vince to go down to the basement and retrieve more beer. There was a group of guys around the living room area, where a football tournament was taking place. Deacon entered the tournament after convincing Mia to take bets on it.

Letty was standing in the kitchen with Roman, neither uttering a word. Letty had a lot on her mind lately, and she knew she had to talk to Roman about it. She was noticing the change in Dominic and was finding it harm to resist his charm. She was so confused. Letty did have feelings for Roman, but she was still in love with Dom. She wasn't sure if she could trust him though. _Who's to say this isn't just a trick to get me back?_

"Just can't let him go, huh?" Roman's deep voice brought Letty out of her trance.

"Excuse me?" she played it off.

"Brian had that same problem. Even with Dom out of the picture, he couldn't stay away. That's why he came back. Brian could've went back to Miami and won that money back within a week. But he wanted to come back all along. Because of Dominic."

Letty didn't know what to say. Had she been that obvious?

"Letty, I could tell by the way you look at me, that you're still in love with Dom. You have that look of pain, regret, even guilt. You just needed other company to keep your mind off him while you were hurting, I understand that," Letty was surprised that Roman wasn't angry. She was even more surprised about how mature Roman sounded.

"So what are you saying?" she asked him, unclear if it was a test or not.

Roman approached her, his hand cupping the side of her face. He wanted to get a beautiful mental picture of Letty into his head before he did the right thing.

"I'm saying go get your man. He needs you just as much as you need him. What we had was fun, but you know he can love you in a way that I won't ever be able too. And I know I won't ever get that unconditional love you give him," Roman's words were hitting Letty like a ton of bricks. She hadn't planned on him to dump her, but she knew it was for the better. She would just end up hurting Roman in the end.

"You are an amazing man, Roman. Any woman would be lucky to have you. I'm sorry I can't be that woman," Letty ran her hands over his face, admiring his beauty one last time.

(Dom)

I carried my Corona as I explored Letty's home. I was pained that I hadn't known about the house. It seemed like the rest of the Team did and were keeping it from me. I shrugged off my anger and decided to just enjoy myself. I continued checking out the cozy home until I reached the kitchen, which was twice the size of the Toretto kitchen. I felt a lump in my throat as I watched Letty and Roman interact. Her hand was on his face, the way she used to hold mine when I said something loving.

I cleared my throat as I glared daggers at Roman's head.

"Oh, hey Dom," Letty smiled, snatching her hand away quickly.

"I just wanted to ask you where you kept the money," I lied, showing him the knapsack on my shoulder that held the money won that night. It wasn't much considering we didn't get to finish, but a good 75,000 was won, which wasn't bad.

"Just give it to me and I'll put it away," I handed him the bag, not taking my eyes off Letty. She noticed my half-empty Corona and walked to the fridge. She pulled out two and grabbed my hand, our fingers instantly intertwining. She looked back at me and smiled.

"Yo Bri, keep my house under control," she yelled to Brian, who nodded and smiled. I didn't realize that Letty and Brian were that close.

* * *

(No POV)

Vince and Katie somehow led the majority of the party to the backyard, which was relatively huge. Half of the yard was cemented and turned into a basketball court, which was soon occupied.

"I'm taking bets on this game!" Katie yelled to the boys, who didn't mind tossing up money. Leon, Brian, and Jesse were participants and already informed Brian that the money from that game was definitely going to them.

Deacon was facing the last person in the football tournament when he decided to check his phone for messages. There were two voice messages waiting for him. He had Roman play his game while he crept onto the porch, where it was quiet.

He played the first message, _**"Deacon Cruz, this is a reminder that you are to appear in court next Wednesday at two p.m. You must bring the child in question. If you have any questions, please contact your lawyer."**_

Deacon rolled his eyes and deleted the message. He played the next one,_** "I hope you have one helluva good lawyer come Wednesday. Emma is my daughter and she deserves to be with her mother. Not some street racing asshole like you. By any means necessary, Emma will end up with me on Wednesday. See, I have a few friends that have something special planned for her. Who knew a young girl could be such a good trade for high-quality Colombian snow,"**_ the line went dead.

Deacon face reddened with anger as he replayed the last message. He could feel his heart rate increase and his jaw clench tight.

"Save that message," Deacon's didn't budge as Mia stepped onto the porch. He felt his heart beating a million times a minute as he looked at her with pitiful eyes. They began to water as he stared blankly at her. She didn't speak, only pulled him to her chest for a hug. Deacon began to softly weep into her arms.

"Why would someone wanna hurt Emma? Especially her own mother for Christs sake! Mia, we can't let her win on Wednesday. There's no way I'm letting her get custody of my daughter, and trade her for some fuckin' cocaine!" Deacon angrily stomped off the porch, pacing up and down the walkway.

"Deacon, it's gonna be okay. Emma is staying right where she belongs and that's with us. Nobody deserves to have custody of her more than you. You've been her hero since the day she was born, she adores you. I promise, I won't let anyone hurt her. Or you," with that, Deke placed his forehead to Mia's.

"I love you Mia," Deacon whispered the words Mia was so anxious to hear from someone other than Dom.

"I love you Deacon," Mia's voice was broken as she began to cry with joy.

* * *

Upstairs in Letty's bedroom, Dom walked back and forth, checking out everything in the room. He loved the homely vibe the room gave to him. He noticed the picture of Letty and her family. He remembered the day he first met Letty. It was coincidentally the same day Letty's parents were killed in a horrific car accident. It was the same day Letty became an honorary Toretto.

"Dom, now is your chance. If you have something to say, let it out," Letty's word broke his train of thought. He turned to her, watching as she changed from her leather skirt and sheer blouse to cargo pants and a green tank top.

"You always did look good in green," he said, the words drifting into the atmosphere.

The silence was becoming unbearable for Letty. She needed Dominic to talk. To shout that he wanted her back. But he just stood there, looking dumbfounded and lost. She decided to speak.

"Roman was good to me. He was a great guy. He never forced me to do anything I wasn't sure of. He didn't push the limits. He was always cautious of what he said or did around me. He always treated me so fragile, ya know, like glass. It was annoying at first, but after a while it was nice. It's nice to be treated like a woman and not one of the guys," Dom felt a pang of guilt in his chest.

Without thinking, he spoke, "I didn't treat you like a guy in the bedroom," he mumbled.

Letty scowled, ready to give up. "I'm serious, Dom. Roman wasn't a jerk to me. He didn't try to control me at all. In fact, he was so sweet, he broke up with me," she smiled.

Dom was confused. Wasn't she supposed to be upset and not smiling like a buffoon? He wanted to get mad at Roman for hurting her, but he wasn't sure if she was hurt at all. "Explain the good part about that."

"He did it for me, Dominic. He said he knew that I still loved you and didn't want to come in between it. He set me free so I can be with the one I love. Don't you see Dom?" Letty now stood in front of him, cupping his face the way she did Roman's before. "I love you Dominic Toretto. Always have, always will. But I need you to want to change for us," Letty looked deep into his eyes. She knew Dom loved her, she always did know. It was a matter of how much.

"I've been trying my best Let. It's kinda hard when you won't even talk to me half the time. Letty, you've been here for me for years. I've never known anyone so loyal and caring about me. I dunno I guess I'm scared," Dom admitted.

"Of what?"

"Commitment. I'm scared that if we do take our relationship to the next level, I'll do something to screw it up," Dom finished, gulping down fresh Corona.

"Dom, if you really love me the way you say you do, you wouldn't do anything to screw up. How 'bout this, we start over. We go on dates, and have sleepovers. We just hang out, and take things slow. We can go from there, what do you think?" Letty asked, her brown eyes hopeful.

Dom noticed how pained and empty Letty's eyes looked. _Look at her Dom, she needs you_. Dom wrapped his arms around Letty's waist hesitantly, unsure if she would allow the gesture. She responded in wrapping her arms around his neck. Dom leaned in slowly, pressing his rough lips onto her soft, moist ones. As he pulled away, he felt emotions lingering in the air. Before he could think twice about it, Dom crushed his lips against hers again. He picked up her petite frame and carried her to the bed, laying her down softly.

"What happened to taking it slow?" Letty asked sarcastically as Dom yanked her shoes off.

"We are," Dom smirked, pouncing on Letty like prey.


	27. Custody Battle

**Thanks for the reviews.**

* * *

_**Wednesday morning...**_

"Emma, get up hun. We're leaving now," Deacon woke his daughter from her nap. That night, he insisted she sleep as close to him as possible.

Today was the big day. Deacon's court date. The fate of his life and Emma's relied on the outcome of today's custody battle. Deacon was all nerves and was unsure if he could pull through. _Are you crazy?! You have to do this, Deacon._

Deacon and Emma were already dressed and ready to leave. Deacon wore a beige suit with a white undershirt. He was cleanly shaved and looked like a million bucks. He grabbed his briefcase, which carried documents and evidence for court.

"You look pretty, Daddy," Emma giggle from the sofa. Deke couldn't help but smile and want to cry at the same time.

"You look beautiful darlin'," Deacon bent on one knee to eye level with Emma. She had on a light blue sundress that brought out her eyes. "Look Em, no matter what happens today, I promise everything will be all right. Now there might be a lot of angry people there and I don't want you to let it upset you," he wanted to tell her about Luna. To tell her how her own mother decided drugs were a better choice than taking care of her child. Instead, he only kissed her cheek and carried her out to the car.

_**Over at the Toretto house...**_

"You all right?" Letty asked Mia, walking into her room.

Mia had been fretting around the house all week. She panicked just as much as Deacon did about the custody battle today. She hoped everything would go as planned, but she wasn't so sure.

"Just a nervous wreck. I can't believe you're in a dress," Mia smiled at the yellow dress that hugged Letty's curves. "You look nice," Letty blushed.

"It's a special occasion. And you don't look too bad yourself," Mia donned tight khaki pants with a gray dress shirt.

"Come on, Deacon should be arriving soon," Mia locked arms with Letty as they descended the stairs together.

The rest of the Team was congregated around the living room area. All the men were properly dressed in suits and ties. Katie wore a white blouse and a blue pencil skirt. It was a different environment for the men and women of Team Toretto, but they were a family and always stuck by one another.

"Hey, we're here," Deacon announced, steeping into the loud, crowded house. He sat Emma down and watched her run into Mia's arms.

Dominic approached Deke, handing him a glass with a drop of Corona in it.

"For good luck. We all had a shot," Dom patted his back with a laugh as Deke through back the drink.

"Thanks Dom. Actually, thanks to all of you. You guys have been there for Emma and I from day one. I know things got hectic, but you always seem to find a way. The way you help one another out is amazing. Even more amazing is the way you took care of Emma and welcomed us into your family. I appreciate every last one of you. I love you guys," Deke spoke from his heart. Dom smiled at the crew, pride shining down on his family.

"Let's do this," Dom said, waving the crew out the home.

The Team huddle into cars and was on their way downtown to the court house. Dom and Letty finally rode in the GTO GPX ; Brian and Roman borrowed the Subaru from Dom; Leon and Jesse drove the Jetta; Vince and Katie drove in the Galant; and Deacon, Mia, and Emma rode in Deke's Honda Civic.

The Team pulled up to the court house in style. They parked their rides slanted on the curb, as if they were at the races. Their engines startled the by-passers, causing them all to laugh. Of course, the security guards surround the court house scowled at the gang, only causing them to rev their engines harder.

"You ready for this?" Mia asked Deacon, noticing how understandably nervous he looked. He looked at her with an unsure smile and nodded.

They exited their cars and followed Deke into the court house. Upon entering the building, Deke spotted Luna talking with a group of suit men, who looked to be hoodlums. Luna caught his glance, smiling smugly. He held Emma close to him as they into their own private office.

"Good luck today," Luna mumbled as she passed Deacon and Emma. Her eyes fell onto the little girl. "Oh yeah, my boys are gonna love her," Mia launched at Luna for her comment, but Dominic caught her just in time. It took Letty and Leon to restrain Mia from giving Luna a pounding.

* * *

A half hour later, everyone piled into the small court room. The gang was seated behind Deacon. Vince held a sleepy Emma in his arms, rocking her back and forth. A group of bulky Latin men sat behind Luna's table. A few other civilians were in the court room, clearly for their entertainment only.

"You okay?" Vince whispered to Deacon as the judge took her seat. Deacon nodded, bumping knuckles with Vince.

(Vince)

We all sat after the judge began. I looked over at Luna. I felt instant disgust at just looking at her. How could she even think about wanting custody after everything she's put Emma and Deacon through? Abandoning her like that, leaving her to grow up without her mother for the first few years of her life. I looked down at Emma, who was finally asleep. She looked so peaceful, so free. _Poor kid has no idea what's happening today._ Hell, the judge even sent her to rehab, why would she even grant her this case? I didn't know, but I knew the sneakiest shit when I saw it. Luna and those men were up to something.

"Look at those two," Leon nudged, pointing to Letty and Dom, who were cuddling with each other.

"Since when did they cuddle?" I asked Leon.

"Since they got back together. I tell you, Dom's a new man," we both smiled at Dom.

"You two, shh!" a man behind whispered. I wanted to snap at the man, but I decided to turn my attention to the case.

After about half an hour to get both sides of the story, the case was getting heated. Deacon was now only in his undershirt. Thankfully, Emma was asleep so she didn't hear all the yelling going on.

"Ms. Edwards, did you ever complete those five years in probation that you were required?" the judge asked, looking at evidence.

"Actually, I only did about a year and a few months before I checked myself out. I thought I was fine. I am fine, I just want my daughter," she replied, her voice bored. She was aggravating me as the time went on, but I kept my cool.

"Well you were required to do five years before you were to have any contact with the defendant or the child in question. Now why should I even think about letting this continue?" I liked this judge, she was hard as hell on Luna.

"Because, your honor, I want my daughter with me where I know she's safe. Not in some garage with a bunch of old men around dangerous tools. Not at street races where she could get kidnapped or even worse. Deacon shouldn't have a child, he's not responsible enough for one," Luna replied to the judge, which we all knew was a cop-out. Deke was busted.

"Is that true Mr. Cruz? Do you have this child in a garage around tools? Do you take her to street racing, which may I remind you is illegal?" I knew Deacon could feel the pressure now. Everyone last one of us could. I looked down at Mia, who was glaring daggers at Luna's head. I knew that if Jesse wasn't holding her arm in his, she'd be giving Luna a beating.

(Deacon)

I sighed. I should've known Luna would bring that up. No judge would give a street racer a kid. Maybe a jail cell, but not a kid.

"Yes ma'am. But her grandfather works at the garage, and she's well looked after. I don't have a babysitter so I don't have a choice but to take her with me. And I don't take her to every race. Just a few," I defended myself.

"It doesn't matter, she should not be out late at street races where she could be harmed, kidnapped, or worst. I'm awarding custody to the mother, Lauren Edwards," those words seem to stop time. I felt as if I was in slow motion. I couldn't believe the judge was giving this deadbeat junkie my daughter. I had to do something quick. I turned to Mia, had her head buried in Jesse's chest, her body shaking with sobs. I looked at Vince, who's eyes were watering as he clung to Emma's body. I turned my eyes over to Luna, who smiled slyly. My eyes traveled to the Latin men behind her. _My boys are gonna love her_, her words kept playing in my mind.

"Wait, your honor!" I interrupted her as I remembered my phone. I pulled out my cell and turned it on.

"Mr. Cruz, we don't have time for these antics. I have another case," she was about to gavel the case closed. Just as I got my messages open, Luna spoke.

"Can we finish up, I'd like to get Emma settled into my new home," she was obviously trying to get the judge's attention.

"Your honor, please listen. Lauren– the mother – left this message on my cell phone Friday night," my heart nearly pounded out of my chest as I played the message for the whole court.

The civilians gasped after the message had stopped. Luna rolled her eyes, now sweating over the new evidence.

"How can you be sure that's me? He could've had anyone record that message," Luna objected.

"Oh come off of it, you whore! Everyone knows it was you! You're trash and I hope you rot in hell!" Mia's voice boomed, catching everyone off guard. I wanted to smile, but I knew it was not the right time.

"Bailiff, please show this woman out of my court," the judge said as the heavy-set bailiff walked Mia of the courtroom. "Mr. Cruz, give me the number that was left from the message please," I wasn't sure where she was going with this, but I did as I was told.

The judge pulled out her own cell phone and dialed the number. Sure enough, Luna's cell phone rang continuously. Just as the bailiff walked into the room, the judge got his attention again.

"Jackson, please escort Ms. Edwards out of my courtroom. I'll inform the LAPD about this and not to worry Deacon, Lauren won't be allowed anywhere near a child for the rest of her life. I award custody of the child in question to Deacon Cruz," and with that, the gavel was slammed down, my worries and fears instantly diminishing.

I cheered as I ran back to the Team, gathering Emma in my arms. I held her to me tightly, kissing her head time after time. "I told you everything would be okay," I whispered to her.

After the Team congratulated me, we decided to get out of there. As I turned around, the group of Latin men stood before me. Dom and Vince stood by my side, both ready to throw down if necessary.

"We just want you to know that we're sorry. We had no intentions to hurt your daughter. Quite frankly, Luna was annoying as hell, so we told her to record that message. I knew you would save it, that way the judge would hear it and get her out of our hair. Sorry for the trouble man, and congrats," the leader of the men said. Holding his hand out. With a sigh of relief I shook the man's hand.

Outside of the court room we met up with Mia, who was pacing back and forth.

"Well, what happened?" Mia asked, clearly worried.

"I played the message for the judge and Luna was arrested. Our baby's home now," I smiled, finally happy and content with my life.

"Let's go home guys," Dom announced, batting me on the back.


	28. Thankful

**Thanks for the reviews. Sorry for the wait, school started and it was so overwhelming that I haven't had time to focus on getting this up. Sadly friends, this is the last chapter. I had a lot of fun writing this. Thanks to everyone who stuck it out with me on all of my stories. Hopefully I can keep the same readers on my future stories. Thanks again.**

**-Kita**

**A/N: Long chapter.**

* * *

**A few years later...**

(Deacon)

"I still can't believe he's gone," Vince mumbled. We were standing outside of Lou's Garage, which was now called Cruz & Co. After Lou's passing two years ago, he left the shop to Vince and I. We talked Dom into it and decided to combine both the stores into one. Dom's half was dedicated to imports and street modifications, while ours was a regular domestic auto repair shop. Cruz & Co. was now one of the biggest garage's in L.A. It was remodeled, repainted, and furnished with all the latest car parts and accessories. All the employees from Lou's garage and DT Automechanics kept their jobs and worked well together. Nowadays, they were making twice as much than both garages combined!

"It's still pretty rough on Emma. Hell, it's still pretty rough on me," I replied, walking with Vince into our workplace.

Mia was behind the clerk's counter, looking through a baby book.

"What's up Mia?" Vince asked, making his way to the back.

She smiled and nodded in response, going back to her book.

"Hey mommy," I kissed her softly. "Hey baby boy!" I kissed her protruding belly afterwards.

"Quit that," she laughed, swatting me away. "Where's Emma?" she asked. I flopped down in a lounging chair behind her.

"She should be on her way here. She spent the night with her friend last night. I told her to come straight here afterwards. I hate that she's all grown up now, she doesn't like hanging out with me anymore," I pouted.

"Aw hun. She's only ten, she's not grown up. It's bound to happen," Mia replied, sitting on my lap. I caught a glimpse of her hand, and noticed the sparkling bright diamond ring that sat on her finger. I couldn't help the flutter my heart did every time I looked at our rings.

Mia and I got married only a year ago, but it felt like forever ago. After the custody battle, I knew Mia was the one I wanted for life. I fell in love with her and I knew she'd take care of Emma. She knew that Mia wasn't her birth mother, and it didn't seem to phase her. She loved Mia, and even called her 'mom'. Now, Mia was the step mother of Emma, and the mother of our nine-month old unborn baby boy, who was due any day now. Little Xavier Cruz, my first son. I was living in Heaven.

As for Luna, she wasn't so lucky. She was booked and charged on numerous accounts, including conspiracy to commit child solicitation, conspiracy to commit the purchase of narcotics, child endangerment, and violating probation. She received a sixty-five year sentence in a maximum women's prison.

"Gotta get to work. Buzz if you need anything," I kissed her just as a customer came in.

* * *

(No POV)

Back in the massive garage, at least six cars were getting special treatment from the extended Team. Vince was working on a Mazda 3 alone. Usually Katie would be working with him, but she was home taking care of their two month old baby girl, Vanessa Katherine Montgomery. Leon was ignoring a woman shamelessly flirting with him. This caught the attention of some, but it was left alone. Jesse was showing Ingram (from Lou's garage) something on the company computer in his own personal office. Dominic was showing a small boy how to change the oil on an Nissan Altima.

"Hey, pay attention Junior," Dom softly smacked the boy in the back of the head.

"Sorry Daddy," he replied, focusing back on the car.

Dominic Anthony Toretto Jr. was born a year after Dom and Letty got back together. Dom wasted no time asking Letty for her hand, and she didn't hesitate saying yes. Dom and Letty believe the night of the honeymoon was when Junior was conceived. He was the spitting image of Dom and everyone could see it. He had the deep brown eyes, the wide smile, and the arrogant attitude that annoyed the hell out of Letty. But when he was upset, he was definitely Letty's son. She knew he'd be a spitfire just like her and she loved it. He was their little boy and the whole family cherished him.

The company phone rang at least five times before someone decided to answer. Letty figured since she was closest, she'd get it.

"Cruz & Co., this is Letty, how can I help you?" she asked, her voice chipper than usual.

"Wow, you sound happy. You sure this is Letty Ramirez?" the familiar voice said with laughter.

"No shit, Brian what's up man?" Letty asked, happy to hear from him.

"Rome and I are just getting into Las Vegas. He wanted to stop but I told him Mia would kill us if we didn't make it on time," Brian replied.

"Cool man. You paid off that shit to Desamis right? Dom'll kick your ass if you come with your hand out again," Letty laughed, putting up a finger for Dom to wait. He had been inquiring who it was that she was talking to and it was annoying her.

"Oh yeah, I finally got him off my back a few months ago. Mia called earlier this week and told us about the cookout, so we're on our way up. Hey, is it cool if Rome brings Dana?"

"Who's Dana?" Letty asked, running away to keep Dom from snatching the phone.

"His girlfriend. Is it cool?"

"Yeah, it's cool. Look I gotta go, call when you get in town," Letty hung up before Brian responded.

"Who the hell was that?" Dominic asked, now very agitated.

"Brian, Dom. He and Rome are on their way here for the Thanksgiving cookout tonight. You're such an asshole," Letty punched him in the chest hard.

"Asshole!" Junior's small voice piped up from behind her. He jumped up and down, screaming the obscenity over and over.

"Haha, listen at Junior. Learning some new vocab my man?" Leon asked, laughing at the anger on Dom and Letty's face. "I'm on my way to the store. Gonna check up on Abby," Leon said, running out to his Skyline (which he found in a police impound somewhere in northern California).

Considering Mia took the job at Cruz & Co., Dom needed to find something to do with the Toretto's Café. Mia suggested they sell it, but Dom couldn't part with the store that held so many memories. After his father bought the building and fixed it up, his mother was the first woman to work there. He wouldn't dare sell it. Instead, they hired their baby cousin to keep it running. She managed the place and hired her younger sister to work there.

* * *

(Leon)

I pulled up to store next to Abby's car. I saw her sister, Gabriella, flirting with one of the male customers. I rolled my eyes as I walked under the veranda.

"Where's your sister?" I interrupted her conversation. She huffed angrily as the guy walked away.

"In the back, asshole," she muttered under her breath. I laughed, walking to the back of the cage where Abby was working in the books.

"Hey girlie," I leaned on the frame. She looked up at me and smiled brightly, making my chest burn slightly. She wrapped her arms around my neck, our lips meeting with lust and desire. Before things got too heated, I pulled away. "Whoa there, you know if we were caught, Gabby would run her mouth to Dom. Then we'd be found out."

"So what? We're big kids Leon, we can have fun too. What's it gonna hurt?" Abby replied, her hazel eyes shining at me. _She's so beautiful_, I thought.

Abigail was gorgeous. Those big hazel eyes, long dark hair, tan skin, and an ass like a goddess. I was falling hard for Abby. She was so perfect. She knew nothing about cars, and didn't flaunt the fact that she was a Toretto. She was just a genuinely sweet person and after Mia moved in with Deacon, she became the one to take care of us. Dom and Letty kicked us out because they needed the extra room, so Letty reluctantly let Vince, Jesse, Katie, and I to move into her house. Shortly after is when Dom started thinking about selling the store.

It was then that Abigail came into the picture and I couldn't keep my eyes or hands off of her. We figured it'd be a good idea to keep our relationship a secret for a while. We both knew how overprotecting Dominic was of the women in his life, so we kept it between us, though it was becoming harder to hide my love for her. I was getting fed up with having to keep my hands off of Abby and soon I was afraid she'd walk away for the same reason.

"I just don't want Dom to take you away from me. You know I care about you too much for that," I told her. Her eyes seem to sparkle as she stared up at me.

"Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere. And we're telling him ... tonight," she smiled. I was nervous until a mischievous smile came across her face. I quirked an eyebrow as she pulled me into the bathroom next to the cage.

* * *

**Hours later...**

It was nearing eight p.m. and the cookout was scheduled to get started soon at the Toretto household. Dom stood at the grill rubbing barbecue all over the ribs. Vince and Leon were carrying out two tubs full of Pepsi, Corona and ice. Jesse, Dan, Ingram, and Mike were all playing a game of basketball, while Katie rocked Vanessa to sleep, keeping score of their game. Letty, Junior, and Abby sat the table while Deacon and Emma helped Mia bring out the rest of the food that Dom was rushing for.

Once the table was set and the food was spread out, the Team stood back and admired the delicious-looking meal. Mia always went all out for Thanksgiving, cooking corn, macaroni salad, potato salad, baked beans, chicken, greens, rolls and Dom's ribs. Corona sat at the end of the table, sparkling in all its glory.

"Yo, yo, yo!" a loud voice was heard coming from the front of the house. The Team was so engrossed with the dinner that they hadn't heard the two cars pulling up in the driveway. "Back here Brian," Roman yelled as he started noticed members of the crew.

"Roman!" Letty yelled, running into his arms. She blatantly ignored his girlfriend as she gave him an affection hug. "Damn it's been long man!" she exclaimed, pulling back from Rome. He had grown a goatee that would only look cute on him, and he seemed to be even more toner.

"I know, babe. This is my girlfriend, Dana. Dana, this is the Team," Roman properly introduced his girl to the crew. Letty analyzed her, a pang of jealously went through her body. _Well, she's kinda cute_, Letty thought. Dana had long, curly hair and light skin. Her eyes were green and she was tall and curvaceous. When she spoke, she had a Caribbean accent and pearly white that made her smile look amazing. _Finally found that good girl_, Letty smiled.

Everyone took a while to get reacquainted before they sat at the table. Brian's eyes fell on Emma and he couldn't help but smile.

"Look at you, Little One. Damn, has it really been that long?" Brian asked Deacon, who smiled at Emma with adoration. Her curly locks were longer, she was tall and lanky, and her dimples were deeper.

"I know. A lot has changed in five years," Deke smiled at Mia, who showed Brian her belly.

"Damn girl, congrats," Brian said, truly happy that Mia was finally being taken care of.

Everyone was seated at the picnic table, which was extended with another to fit the large group. They were all seated and talked quietly as they pretended they weren't waiting on the grace victim.

Dom eyed his family, watching them as they laughed and chopped it up about old times. He admired the strength they all had to stay together and work things out, even in the worst of situations. He loved how they were so welcoming to people coming in and out of their lives. He wanted to hold them all and tell they just how strong they are and how much he cared for them. Dom noticed changed about each one of them, and couldn't be more happy for them.

Letty was finally growing up. She was still a spitfire and would still call Dom on his shit, but she had matured. She didn't have jealous rages or throw fits. She was a great mother to Junior, and an even greater wife to him. She loved him throughout the good and the bad, and promised to never turn her back on him. Dom knew Letty was the woman he was supposed to marry from the day she first spoke to him. He knew she was the one.

Mia had done more than well for herself. She finally graduated from college and got her dream job as a nurse. Though she was on paid leave while awaiting the birth of her and Deke's child, that didn't keep her from helping out. She worked as the clerk at Cruz & Co. from time-to-time, and she even helped out at the store when Abby wasn't available. She was out of her depressed funk caused by the Buster, and was happier than every now.

Vince was a whole new man. After meeting Katie and getting to know her, everyone knew she would be the perfect candidate for Vince. He was more grounded now, and was totally a family man. Dom remembered the look on his face when Katie told them she was pregnant. He fainted, freaking everyone out. They thought he had another heart attack. Thankfully, he had been dieting often and drinking less, which led to him being as healthy as a mule. Once Vanessa was born, they hardly seen Vince for the first two weeks. He was home, holding his baby girl every second he could. He took care of Katie like she was a princess and she never even once looked at another woman. Vince and Katie were meant for each other.

Leon was still the same ol' guy; chasing chasers, racing racers, and taking care of Jesse. After moving into Letty's, and aside from work, Dom rarely saw Leon around. Leon made excuses such as "I was looking for a side job, you know, to help get Jess into M.I.T." or even "Oh, I was just out driving, getting fresh air, ya know,". Dom didn't pay any attention to it, hell, he didn't keep tabs on Leon. That is, until he found out about his baby cousin and Leon, the player.

"What do you mean, you're together?" Dom asked through gritted teeth after Abby's proclamation. The dinner seemed to freeze after what Abby blurted out.

"I mean, I've been dating Leon for a while now. Yes, that means we've had sex. Who cares? I just wanna be able to kiss him and not have to worry about his death! God Dom, you're such a fucking prick! Why do you have to ruin everything?" Abby ranted all in one breath, stunning the whole group. She slammed her chair under the table and stormed off into the house. Dom sat with his mouth dropped open, clearly confused.

"What'd I do?" Dom asked clueless. He shook off his clutter and turned his gaze to Leon. "So you've been sneaking around with my baby cousin this whole time, huh?" Dom asked, noticing Leon hadn't flinched. His chest kept puffed out and he held Dom's gaze.

"Yeah, because we know how you are. Dom, I care about Abigail. I think she's fucking amazing and I wanna be with her without having you on our backs. We all know how overprotective you are when it comes to the women in your family. I just want her," Leon finished, his demeanor exhausted and strained.

It was then that Dom noticed how different Leon had become. He was more conservative with what he did with his time. He tried to avoid flirting as much as he could and even stepped up in training workers at the shop. Still, he was the same hard working, sarcastic, and down-for-anything guy he was before. Dom loved Leon like a brother and knew that would never change.

When Abby finally contained herself and reappeared at the picnic table, Dom gave her a long look. He watched as she stared at Leon with regret and remorse for spilling their secret. Dom thought hard about it, then finally gave his blessing to the two. He knew he couldn't keep them apart no matter what, and he didn't want to waste his time trying.

Jesse. Dom watched the Kid laugh and joke, as he thought of how much he had grown over the last few years. Dom knew Jesse always wanted to go to college, even if it was a small, community college. It didn't matter to him. He wanted to prove everyone wrong, prove to everyone that he wasn't stupid. He knew he was unusually smart when it came to computers or anything technical. Cars were his first love, but he was really intent on getting an education. Dom offered to help, claiming they had enough money to send him to an Ivy League school if he really wanted. Jesse declined the offer, reasoning that he wanted to make the money and do it himself. "You guys have been taking care of me forever. It's time for me to be a man," he stated, ending the discussion further. Dom couldn't have had more respect for him.

He ended his daydream by stopping on Deacon and Emma. He couldn't believe how much she had grown over the few years he knew her. She wasn't so small anymore. She talked back with a wider vocabulary and truly adored everyone in the family. She even calls them 'aunt' and 'uncle'. Dom was surprised the first time he heard Emma call Mia 'mom'. He never thought of it going to that spot. She had grown up and was looking more like Deacon everyday.

Speaking of Deke, Dom couldn't believe his change. Physically, Deacon had grown immensely. The men of the family spent almost five hours a week working out every week, and clearly Deacon wanted to compete with Dom. He had bulked up to larger than Vince's size. Mia complained about how his frame was fine and how she "didn't want Dom convincing him to Hulk up". Deacon and Dom's relationship grew as he spent more time with the family. They acted like blood brothers, holding childish competitions and playing pranks on each other. Still to this day, he held down the fort as King of the Streets at the Races.

The family couldn't be in a better place. They were all happy, healthy, and as wealthy as they come. Now that the shop was buzzing throughout L.A., they were bringing in and splitting large amounts of money between the households.. After Brian paid back all debts owed to Heathrow Desamis and was off the his hit-list, the large chunk of cash won from All-Out Friday's was split between the family. A total of three hundred thousand was left to the Team. As for Brian, he finally got his shit together and Teamed back up with Roman and Tej to be crowned Deuce Kings of Miami.

* * *

"Alright, shut up. I'm gonna start, and as we go around, we say two things we're grateful for. Don't protest, you're doing it anyway," Dom demanded with a perfect smile. The table quieted as they began. Vince was happy, he was getting antsy from lack of food.

"I'm very thankful for you all. I know that's corny, but every last one of you have made an incredible difference in this family and I couldn't appreciate you more. I remember when we use to be just some punk kids racing with no respect for authority-" Dom started with a smile.

"What's changed?" Mia interrupted, causing soft chuckles from the group. Dom smiled at her, then continued.

"We have Mi, all of us. But it's for the better. I love you guys," Dom held his beer up to the gang. With the exception of Mia, Emma, and Junior (who all drank soda), the Team returned the gesture.

"What was your second thing?" Jesse asked.

"My second chance. My second chance to take care of my family and my wife. To provide with clean money, well as clean as it gets. My second chance to live as a free man."

The Team sat silently for a few seconds before it was Mia's turn.

"My turn," she sat up, her belly barely rubbing the table. "I'm thankful for the unborn blessing I've been given. I can't wait to have my first child, especially with the man I love. I love you all and these kids are gonna have some family growing up. I'm also thankful for Emma. She's such an angel, only if she would stop asking for a tattoo," Mia joked, kissing Emma's cheek.

The process continued around the table for the next half hour. Of course, by the time it was Vince's turn, he was blowing smoke out of his ears with irritation.

"I'm thankful for this lovely food which I can't eat because this is taking so long. And I'm extremely thankful for Katie. She's an amazing woman and if it wasn't for her, I wouldn't have my beautiful daughter, Vanessa. I love these girls very much," Vince choked up, as it held his tiny baby in his arms. The group 'awwed' at the sensitive man Vince had become.

The process continued on, finally ending with Deacon near the middle of the table. He held up his beer and cleared his throat.

"I couldn't be more grateful for the group of people sitting here with me. We've been through a lot together and I couldn't love anyone more. Sometimes you can be rough and just plain brutal, but I wouldn't want you any other way. I'm thankful that I have an incredible family, wife, daughter, and soon-to-be baby boy. Plus, last year was my five-year reign as King of the Streets. Life doesn't get any better than this," Deacon laughed, taking a long gulp of his beer.

"Amen!" Dom cheered, the group echoing him. After food and plates were passed around the table, the Toretto and family roared with different conversations, including one about Abby and Leon, the racing in Miami, and Junior's new found language, which he couldn't stop yelling.

"Unc Vince, asshole!" Junior screeched with a bright smile on his face. Everyone busted up with laughter from the irritated look on Vince's face. He couldn't help but chuckle at the grin on Junior's face.

"What did I tell you about that?" Dom threatened Junior. "Eat your food."

When Mia burst into a random laughing fit, the group looked at her with confusion.

"Mia, it wasn't that funny," Letty said, nudging her in the arm.

"I'm not laughing at that. My water just broke," she laughed nervously as a pool of water sat at her feet. Deacon immediately rushed to her side.

"Fuck, guys move your cars! We gotta get her to a hospital quick!" Deacon urged, the men of the family moving quickly to retrieve their rides.

"Katie, help me take the food in the house. We'll meet you guys there," Letty urged as she began clearing the food from the table.

Dom lifted Mia with slight ease as he carried her to Deacon's Civic. Dom questioned his own strength, wondering how he could pick up a pregnant women who had gained more than twenty pounds to her body. He jumped in his own car and floored it to the hospital behind Deacon and Leon.

* * *

Fifteen hours and plenty of coffee later, the Team was awakened in the waiting room. Deacon stood in the door way, blue scrubs covering his body, sweat dripping from his face. They all thought the worst from his defeat. That is, until he smiled wide with tears in his eyes.

"Xavier Louis Cruz. Seven pounds, three ounces. Blue eyes, brown hair, ten toes and fingers. Come see," Deacon led the family into a small room. Mia was exhausted as her face was covered in sweat and tears. Her hair was in a messy ponytail and the gown that covered her body was a wrinkled mess. She sat up in the bed holding a small bundle in her arms, smiling down at it.

"You look refreshed," Leon commented wittingly. She rolled her eyes as he kissed her cheek.

Dom was the first to hold the small baby. He looked microscopic in Dom's huge hands. He held Xavier gently, placing kisses at the top of his head. He began to talk baby talk that went unheard to the group as they crowded around Mia.

"So how you feelin'?" Letty asked, pushing the hair out of Mia's face. She grabbed a warm wipe from the table and cleaned the sweat from Mia's face.

"Fuckin' exhausted," she tossed her head back on the pillow as Jesse began massaging her feet. This was her favorite part of pregnancy; being pampered like a baby.

"He's gorgeous Bella. You did good, Mommy," Dom kissed Mia's forehead as the infant was passed around the room.

"Look at us Toretto's. I guess Daddy did do something right with us," Mia smiled up at her big brother, staring into the mirroring, chocolate eyes that held so much pride and passion.

"Yes he did, baby sis," Dom looked around the room at his friends and family and wanted to cry himself. They were truly a blessing that forced Dom to straighten his life up and get his shit together. He had and his family had benefited from it in the best ways.

"Thank you Papi," Dom whispered to the sky as a tear fell from his eye.

**I know that wasn't the way you probably picture the ending, but I wanted to get it finished quickly so I could start another story. Plus, school just started and I had to get too much shit together. But I hope you enjoyed this story! Thanks for reading!**


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